Charges soon in double murder

GARDAÍ expect to bring charges in the coming days for the double murder of Brendan Molyneaux and Paddy Mooney last Sunday. The prospect will put pressure on the north Dublin gang boss who is suspected of ordering the gun attack.

Gardaí believe the Finglas boss wanted Mr Molyneaux dead after coming to believe he had agreed to kill him on behalf of a gang formerly led by Paul ‘Farmer’ Martin, who was gunned down in August 2008 on the orders of the Finglas boss.

Mr Molyneaux, 45, originally from Coolock, north Dublin, had lived at a homeless hostel on York St in the south inner city. He occasionally stayed at Mr Mooney’s flat at Pearse House, off Pearse Street, in the south inner city. Just before 7pm on Sunday at least two assailants broke into the flat. The two victims were shot in the head and chest with a handgun.

Garda sources said that although Mr Mooney, 58, had links with militant republicans over the years, he was an innocent man who had allowed Mr Molyneaux stay at his flat.

“He was a relatively harmless guy,” said a Garda source. “He had associations over the years with people with extremist views, but not much else.”

Neighbours alerted the emergency services about the shooting. Shortly afterwards, gardaí from the elite Emergency Response Unit broke into a house in Finglas and arrested the main suspect and a woman.

Two other men, one the gunman’s father, were arrested close to the murder scene. Garda sources said investigators would bring charges quickly against the gunman.

Gardaí said it was known there was a “hit” placed on Mr Molyneaux locally and gardaí knew who to pick up. Sources said the gunman worked as a hitman-for-hire and was suspected of carrying out other shootings, including for the Finglas boss.

Gardaí said the gunman was “a loose cannon” who had been involved in crime for many years. It is understood one of the four people arrested was a regular visitor to Mr Mooney’s flat. All four were arrested under recent legislation which allows for a maximum detention of seven days.

Meanwhile, gardaí in Coolock, north Dublin, are continuing to trace the last known movements of drug dealer John Paul Joyce, who was found shot dead on a laneway near Dublin Airport last Saturday.

Detectives suspect the Finglas boss is also behind this killing and may have contracted it out to a local gang, which was embroiled in a feud with the Joyce gang.