UPDATED: Maniac killer Robbie Lawlor was shot dead in a ‘gangland double cross’ by members of the McCarthy-Dundon mob, gardai suspect. Two senior members of the vicious Limerick gang were in police custody last night, along with two other males, after the hit on Lawlor, who died in a hail of bullets in Belfast on Saturday.
Gangland hitman Lawlor, a 35-year-old father-of-three from Dublin’s Donaghmede, was behind the brutal murder of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods in Drogheda in January, Gardai believe.
He was originally charged with robbery but the DPP later accepted a guilty plea to the lesser charge of possession of stolen cash. Lawlor received a 32 month sentence, just slightly less than his accomplice who was convicted of the robbery charge. The sentence was later reduced to 26 months on appeal.
Security sources say one line of inquiry is that Lawlor was shot dead by the drug dealer who feared he was about to be murdered.
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Gangland hitman Lawlor, a 35-year-old father-of-three from Dublin’s Donaghmede, was behind the brutal murder of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods in Drogheda in January, Gardai believe.
https://extra.ie/2020/04/06/news/irish-news/robbie-lawlor-limerick-gangsters
https://www.rte.ie/news/crime/2020/0405/1128588-murder-ardoyne-belfast-robbie-lawlor/
Videos celebrating the murder of Dublin criminal Robbie Lawlor on Saturday started appearing on social media well before his identity was officially confirmed.
https://www.rte.ie/news/crime/2020/0405/1128588-murder-ardoyne-belfast-robbie-lawlor/
Videos celebrating the murder of Dublin criminal Robbie Lawlor on Saturday started appearing on social media well before his identity was officially confirmed.
In fact, it
was the appearance of these videos which helped the PSNI confirm the identity
of the Dublin hitman who was shot to death in the front garden of a house in
the Ardoyne area of Belfast.
One video
showed youths cheering and dancing in front of a house in Darndale after hearing
the news. Another was of well-known organised crime figure toasting the murder
with a shot of vodka.
Such was the
length of Lawlor’s list of enemies that his death will come as little surprise.
In recent months, Gardaí had even given him an official notification that his
life was in danger along with a list of precautions he should take to keep
safe.
Originally
from Donaghmede in north
Dublin, Lawlor (36) has been involved in serious criminality since at least the
age of 18. This includes his suspected involvement in at least three murders,
the most recent of which was the killing of 17-year-old Keane Mulready Woods
whose dismembered remains were found in January.
Lawlor is
also a major suspect in the 2018 murder of Kenneth Finn in Coolock and the
shooting dead of David “Fred” Lynch in
2005. During his criminal career Lawlor amassed some 125 previous convictions
but mostly managed to avoid lengthy prison sentences. One of the most serious
charges levelled against him was the 2013 robbery of a cash box from a McDonalds in Donaghmede
during which a handgun was put to the head of a security guard.
Three days later, Lawlor was spotted by Gardaí
trying to hide some of the cash taken during the robbery which had been marked
with blue dye.
He was originally charged with robbery but the DPP later accepted a guilty plea to the lesser charge of possession of stolen cash. Lawlor received a 32 month sentence, just slightly less than his accomplice who was convicted of the robbery charge. The sentence was later reduced to 26 months on appeal.
A father-of-three, Lawlor claimed to be
an unemployed fitness instructor. In one court appearance in 2017 court was
told he was a “petty, recidivist sort of offender” who was trying to go
straight.
In fact, he was one of the most feared
and hated gangland figures in the country.
Depraved Gangland Assassin Robbie Lawlor
Shot Dead In Belfast
|
Lawlor’s final major tussle with the law
ended in December with the collapse of his trial for the attempted murder of a
Dublin woman.
He was accused of trying to shoot Fiona Mitchell dead in
revenge for her son dating his former partner. He was also alleged to have
killed the woman’s dog during the attack. The case fell apart and Lawlor was
acquitted when it emerged his former partner had lied to Gardaí about key
facts.
Lawlor walked free from court,
triggering a nationwide alert to Garda stations amid fears his release would
trigger attacks from those involved in feuds in Dublin and Drogheda.
The fears were well-grounded.
Shortly after his release Lawlor was
attacked by an associate of David Lynch, the man
murdered in 2005.
The attacker filmed the incident and can
be heard telling Lawlor “this is only the start of it.” Lawlor’s gym bag was
also stolen and over the next few days his rivals taunted him by putting photos
of themselves on social media wearing his flip-flops.
When a pair of flip-flops were found in
the bag containing some of Keane Mulready Woods’ remains on January 13th, it
was interpreted by investigators as message from Lawlor to his tormentors.
Keane Mulready-Woods (17) Murdered and Dismembered. |
It is tempting to link Saturday’s murder
to the brutal murder of Woods but Lawlor had many, many enemies who wanted him
dead, including criminal rivals and family members of his previous victims who
had vowed revenge.
ADDITIONAL
TEXT:
Police in Northern Ireland
investigating the murder of Dublin criminal Robbie Lawlor at the
weekend believe he may have been shot dead by a man who owed him money.
Lawlor (36), who was closely aligned
with one faction in the ongoing Drogheda gang feud, was
shot in the head outside a house in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast.
PSNI and Garda investigators believe he
had travelled from Coolock with three
other males to enforce a drug debt against a mid-level Belfast drug dealer.
Four males, including a 17-year-old,
have been arrested in connection with the murder, including some of those
believed to have travelled north with Lawlor.
The males who accompanied Lawlor are
from the Limerick area, and have
close links to organised crime there. One of them is understood to have links
to Limerick gangland figure Wayne McCarthy Dundon, who is serving a life
sentence for murder.
Three of the suspects were arrested
shortly after the murder which occurred at around noon on Saturday on Etna Drive. A fourth
man was arrested on Sunday morning.
“I do not believe that Robbie was in the
Ardoyne yesterday by accident. I believe he had some reason to be there, and
key lines of inquiry for me at this stage are to establish why he was there and
what his connection to the address is,” said Det Supt Jason Murphy
on Sunday.
Security sources say one line of inquiry is that Lawlor was shot dead by the drug dealer who feared he was about to be murdered.
Another is that Lawlor was set up by
rivals to be murdered in revenge for previous killings in the gang feud which
has engulfed Drogheda and Coolock , Dublin, in the last year.
Drogheda feud
Lawlor, who is originally from Dublin
but has an address in Laytown, Co Meath, was
the chief suspect behind the murder and dismemberment of 17-year-old Keane
Mulready-Woods, whose partial remains were found in Dublin in January. The
teenager is believed to have been murdered because of his connections to one of
the parties in the Drogheda feud.
The PSNI say Lawlor was
murdered by a single gunman, who fired multiple shots which hit the victim
several times. The murder weapon has yet to be recovered.
Lawlor’s family have yet to formally
identify his body, but the PSNI said “sufficient information exists for us to
believe that the deceased male may be Robbie Lawlor”.
The suspects are being questioned in the
serious crime suite of Musgrave police station in Belfast.
Gardaí assisting the investigation have
carried out a search of a property in Crumlin, Dublin, which
they believe may be linked to the murder, while the PSNI search another house
in Belfast.
“This was a brutal killing, and I am
appealing for the public’s help to bring the gunman to justice. I would like to
hear from anyone who was in Etna Drive yesterday, between 11am and 12.30pm, and
who may have witnessed the shooting or the gunman making his escape,” said Det
Supt Murphy.
“I’m also keen to speak to anyone who
can help us trace the movements of a VW Sirocco car, registration YLZ 7052. I
believe it was in Estoril Park [Belfast] on
Friday and was burnt out in Kingston Court immediately
after the murder .”
Gangland figure
Lawlor was considered a major gangland
figure and a prominent player in violent feuds in Dublin and Drogheda.
He is suspected of involvement in at
least three murders, including the killings of Kenneth Finn in 2018
and David “Fred” Lynch in 2005.
He is also suspected of involvement in a
gun attack on the leader of a criminal faction in Drogheda which left the
victim paralysed and triggered the current round of violence. He was warned by Gardaí
of a threat to his life in December following his release from prison after his
acquittal on an attempted murder charge.
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If you or
someone you know has been affected by mental health issues you can contact:
·
Samaritans - 116 123, text 087 2609090 or email
jo@samaritans.ie
·
Pieta House (Suicide & Self-harm) - 1800 247 247 or 01
623 5606
·
Aware (Depression, Bi-Polar Disorder & Anxiety) - 1800
80 48 48
·
Grow (Mental Health support & Recovery) - 1890 474 474
·
Bodywhys (Eating Disorders Associations of Ireland) - 1890
200 444
·
Childline (for under 18s) - 1800 66 66 66.
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