DEALER MURDER CASE STAYS OPEN Parker blasted to death three years ago
The number of Irish running into trouble with the law abroad plummeted as the Covid-19 pandemic restricted travel.
In 2019, 243 citizens were arrested - more than the number combined from both 2020 (120 arrests) and 2021 (116 arrests), according to Department records released under a Freedom Of Information request.
A total of 315 people were taken into custody in EU states or other parts of the continent.
There were another 70 arrests in Asia and the Middle East, 42 in North America, and 29 in Australia and the rest of the South Pacific region.
Prison
The department was also notified of 17 arrests of citizens in Africa and just six for all of South and Central America.
The number of Irish passport holders jailed also fell dramatically during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department figures revealed.
In 2019, there were 39 Irish jailed abroad - as compared to 22 in 2020 and just 20 last year.
Of the 81 citizens imprisoned, 46 of them were locked up in Europe with a further 23 jailed in Australia and nearby South Pacific countries.
The Department declined to provide a breakdown detailing the countries where arrests or imprisonments had taken place.
A DECISION by the DPP on whether to charge someone in relation to the gangland murder of a north Dublin drug dealer four years ago is expected shortly, an inquest has heard.
Robert Sheridan (45), a father of two, suffered fatal gunshot wounds to his head and body after opening the door of his home on Poppintree Crescent, Ballymun shortly before midnight on October 5, 2018.
Two masked gunmen were seen making their escape on foot from the area.
It is understood gardaí identified two suspects for the killing as part of a detailed investigation into Mr Sheridan’s murder.
Mr Sheridan had received warnings from gardaí in the weeks before his death that his life was in danger.
Earlier in 2018, his car was destroyed in an arson attack outside his home, while a replacement vehicle was also vandalised.
In the month before the fatal attack, several shots were also fired at Mr Sheridan’s home, although nobody was injured during the incident.
At a sitting of Dublin District Coroner’s Court yesterday, Inspector Brian Kavanagh said
THE investigation into the murder of Zach Parker more than three years ago will remain open — until the perpetrator is brought to justice.
This comes after the State decided not to pursue charges against a chief suspect for the barber’s murder.
The 23-year-old was shot dead outside a gym in Applewood Close in Swords, Co Dublin on the evening of January 17, 2019 while he was sitting in his BMW X5.
The young drug dealer’s killing was the first gangland murder of 2019. He was blasted in the head, chest and arm as he sat in his car with a friend.
He died at the scene and his innocent pal who was in the passenger seat was a file on the Garda investigation had been forwarded to the DPP.
“It is at advanced stages of consideration,” said Insp Kavanagh.
The coroner, Clare Keane, granted an application by the gardaí for a six-month adjournment of the inquest under Section 25 of the Coroners Act as criminal proceedings are being considered.
Home
Meanwhile, the court heard that no criminal prosecution is to arise from a separate gangland shooting in west Dublin three years ago.
David Lynch (42), who was also known as David Chen, was shot dead in broad daylight outside his home on Foxdene Avenue, Clondalkin on March 1, 2019.
Although gardaí believed the badly injured in the attack.
Gardai investigating the murder believe a lone shooter carried out the killing and fled on foot.
Suspect
Gardai launched a major investigation and last year arrested a prime suspect in the case as part of its inquiry into the gruesome murder.
The man, aged in his 30s, was detained victim was involved in organised crime and had been the subject of an investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau, he had no convictions for any serious criminal offences.
Mr Lynch had been threatened by a former associate, notorious Ballyfermot gang leader Mark Desmond, now dead, years earlier and had moved abroad for a period in fear of his life.
The coroner’s court also heard that progress was being made in the investigation into the murder of a young Dublin man who was gunned down outside his home in north Dublin three years ago.
Eoin Boylan (22) was fatally injured in a gun attack as he stood in his front garden at Clonshaugh Avenue, Coolock on November 24, 2019.
Two gunmen were seen escaping in a getaway car. and quizzed for a number of days at Swords Garda Station before officers released him without charge.
It is understood that a large amount of CCTV evidence was secured in the case while expert testimony was also gathered as part of the inquiry.
A file was prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and submitted by gardai earlier this year.
However, the State has decided in recent weeks not to prosecute the suspect.
“Despite no charges being brought against a chief suspect this case will always stay open until the perpetrator is brought to justice,” a source told The Star.