Crime boss under protection in prison

The jailed crime boss under suspicion for the murder of dissident republican Vincent Ryan is under prison protection — but has not received a death threat over the fatal shooting.

Prison authorities have records of a previous warning that he was under threat for the 2012 murder of Vincent’s brother, Alan Ryan, the then Dublin leader of the Real IRA.

The Irish Examiner understands that while the criminal figure has been moved between a number of small protection areas within the prison, his status has not changed since February 18 — before the murder of Vincent Ryan last Monday.

Sources said that if a fresh death threat had been made against him for the Vincent Ryan murder, he would most likely have been moved to a designated maximum security wing within the same prison.

In the mini-protection areas he has been in, he is free to associate with other protection prisoners. The criminal boss has been on protection in the prison since he was transferred there from another jail last November for his own safety.

It is further understood that he is on an “enhanced regime”, the highest of three categories prisoners can attain — the others being standard and basic.

Those on an enhanced regime have greater access to Sky Sports, Playstation, more family visits and phone calls, and more pocket money.

Enhanced regime status is given to prisoners to reward good behaviour, co-operation with prison services and no P19s (or disciplinary records).

Vincent Ryan

Detectives investigating Vincent Ryan’s death have been in contact with prison management regarding the identities of every person the criminal has met in recent months.

Prison intelligence staff are also understood to have supplied gardaí with the names of known associates of the criminal — and, in turn, who has visited them.

In addition, gardaí are examining whether or not any of these individuals had access to, or used, smuggled mobile phones.

Sources told the Irish Examiner that Vincent Ryan, a 25-year-old father of a newborn girl, was a member of the Real IRA in Dublin and had not been “kicked out”, unlike some of his previous close associates.

A number of them were subjected to internal punishment attacks. Another associate, Declan Smith, was shot dead in March 2014, although it is not clear if it was by dissidents or criminals. Gardaí are drawing up a policing plan for Vincent Ryan’s funeral next Tuesday in Donaghmede, north Dublin.

Sources expect the Real IRA will “put on a show”, but are trying to ensure there is no repeat of Alan Ryan’s funeral, when shots were fired over his coffin.

Gardaí are concerned the Real IRA will seek revenge once the funeral is over. The Special Branch is monitoring 20-plus core members of the group in Dublin.