Fifth arrest in Falsey murder probe

Gardaí investigating the gangland-style shooting of a man in Cork last year arre-sted an inmate at Limerick Prison yesterday.

The man in his 40s, who is from Cork City and serving a prison term for drugs offences, was arrested and taken to Togher Garda Station, Cork, for questioning about the murder of suspected drug dealer Darren Falsey on Aug 3, 2011.

Mr Falsey had visited the man in Cork Prison hours before his death. Gardaí believe he was one of the last people to see him alive.

He was arrested and detained under the provisions of section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act and can be held for up to 24 hours.

His arrest brings to five the number of people arrested for questioning in connection with the murder.

So far, nobody has been charged with the shooting.

Supt Charlie Barry said the arrest was the latest stage of what remains “a veryactive investigation”.

“We have a team on this investigation full-time,” said Supt Barry. “We are still actively pursuing a number of lines of enquiry and there will be further arrests.”

Mr Falsey, 36, was shot dead at his rented home in Ashbourne Court in Carrigaline. He was found at 2.45pm, lying in a pool of blood in the hall, by his partner and her young son.

He was shot three times, twice in the chest and once in the head, after he opened his front door. Gardaí believe he knew his killer.

Mr Falsey was known to gardaí and was a significant player in the drugs trade.

Days after the shooting, gardaí recovered more than €30,000 in cash from a freezer in a rented lock-up premises in the Riverstick area where Mr Falsey kept a number of dogs.

In Oct 2011, searches near Watergrasshill in North Cork found the handgun used to shoot Mr Falsey.

Gardaí believe Mr Falsey was shot dead because he was owed a substantial debt to others in the drugs trade.