Mayor claims media helping target Keane

SOME media coverage on the impending jail release of a drugs dealer could lead to him being targeted by rivals, it was claimed yesterday.

Mayor John Gilligan hit out at some newspaper stories centring on Christy Keane, who is nearing the completion of a 10-year sentence.

With remissions, he is due out in the next two weeks.

Keane, 48, is father of Liam Keane, who two weeks ago was sentenced to 10 years at Limerick Circuit Court with another man after they were found carrying a hand gun in a car.

Christy Keane was jailed in 2002 having been caught with drugs in St Mary’s Park in 2001.

The mayor said some coverage was dangerous and tantamount to incitement to hatred.

“Freedom of speech doesn’t give someone the right to shout ‘fire’ in a crowded cinema, and unbalanced coverage is basically setting up someone to get shot,” he said.

“I believe you could describe some of it as incitement to violence.”

Meanwhile gardaí have arrested a man aged 18 in connection with major damage caused to four cars parked outside a Limerick church while a christening ceremony was in progress.

The incident happened on Saturday night in the car park adjacent to St Paul’s church in Dooradoyle.

Thousands of euro worth of damage was caused.

Inspector Seamus Ruane of Roxboro Road garda station said a man has been arrested and a file is being prepared for the DPP.