Huge security operation for gangland court case

MORE THAN 60 armed detectives and uniformed gardaí were detailed for the biggest security operation ever mounted for a court case in Limerick, as four men appeared in connection with the murder of crime boss, Kieran Keane.

The gangland case saw detectives, some armed with machine guns, on the roof top of the County Courthouse and in the grounds of the nearby 800-year-old St Mary’s Cathedral.

Steel barriers were set up as the four accused arrived in three Garda vans under heavy escort for the court sitting. Detectives searched everyone on the way in to Limerick District Court before the accused were brought before Judge Tom O’Donnell.

The charges arise out of an-going bitter feud between rival factions in Limerick City.

Kieran Keane was found shot in the head with his hands tied behind his back and his body was dumped on a roadside at Drombanna, Co Limerick. His nephew Owen Treacy survived stab wounds in the same incident.

David Stanners, aged 31, and James McCarthy, aged 24, both of Pineview Gardens, Moyross; Christopher “Smokie” Costelloe, aged 20, of Moylish Avenue, Ballynanty Beg, and Anthony McCarthy, aged 21, 5 The Fairgreen, Limerick, were all charged with the murder of Kieran Keane at Drombanna, Co Limerick on January 29. All four accused were also charged with the attempted murder of Keane’s nephew, Owen Treacy at Drombanna, Co Limerick on the same occasion.

It was the first time in Limerick’s legal history that four accused people were charged with murder before the court on the same day.

Det Garda Gerry Doherty, Roxboro Garda Station, gave evidence of arresting and charging James McCarthy after caution on June 25 with the two alleged offences. The accused said: “That is only wasted paper,” in reply to both charges.

Det Garda Gerry Hogan, Mayorstone Station, also told the court that he arrested and charged David Stanners after caution on the same date and the accused made no reply to the alleged offences.

Det Garda Gerry Healy, Mayorstone Station, said he arrested and charged Christopher “Smokie” Costelloe after caution on June 25 and the accused made no reply to both charges.

Det Garda David Bourke, Roxboro Station, gave evidence of arresting and charging Anthony McCarthy on June 25 after caution, and in reply to the attempted murder charge, the accused allegedly said: “It must be raining murder.”

Aeneas McCarthy, solicitor for the four accused, told Judge O’Donnell that his four clients have been in custody for 94 days on charges of the false imprisonment of Kieran Keane and Owen Tracey on January 29 last. These new charges arise out of the same set of circumstances. The four accused have already been refused bail in this court and the High Court. Mr McCarthy pointed out that while his clients had been in custody for 94 days, there was a statutory limit of 42 days on the State to produce the Book of Evidence.

Garda Inspector John Courtney, Henry Street Station, prosecuting, said that this case involved a huge task for the gardaí. “There are 5,000 pages in the file, 720 statements and a 504 page report has been transferred from the State Solicitor’s office to the Chief Prosecuting State Solicitor’s Office in Dublin,” he added.