Inquest: Motorcycle pillion passenger gunned down doorman

A doorman of a public house was gunned down by a pillion passenger on a motorcycle on a busy Dublin street, an inquest heard today.

Several witnesses saw a gunman shoot Ronald Draper, 25, from Brookview Walk in Dublin’s Tallaght, four times as he stood outside Charlie P’s bar on Eden Quay shortly after 10pm on June 14, 2003.

The inquest heard Mr Draper’s life had previously been threatened.

At the time of his death it was reported he was a member of a Dublin criminal gang which was involved in a fight with the INLA at the Ballymount Industrial Estate in west Dublin in 1999 during which a man with links to the INLA lost his life.

It was believed Mr Draper’s murder may have been linked to ongoing tensions between the criminals and the INLA.

His father, Ernie Draper, told the Dublin City Coroner’s Court his son was suffering from hay fever that day and had not really wanted to go to work.

Det Sgt Walter O’Connell, who investigated the murder, said: “He was on the doorway with another man when two people arrived on a motorcycle. The pillion passenger got off the motorcycle, approached Ronnie Draper and fired a number of shots at him. They escaped on motorcycle.”

Responding to the panic alarm at Charlie P’s bar, Gda Roisin Lloyd said when she arrived at the pub at 10.20pm there was a man lying on the ground outside it with blood on his face. She said he was not moving as ambulance men attempted to resuscitate him and he was later pronounced dead at the Mater Hospital.

Gda Lloyd said a number of people said they witnessed the shooting. “It was very busy, a lot of buses pull up alongside that area as well,” she said.

Gda Ronan O’Driscoll, who had just finished working at Kevin Street Station at 10pm, said he heard four or five gunshots as he drove down Eden Quay. He became suspicious and followed a black motorcycle, with two people on it wearing helmets, which passed him headed in the direction of Gardiner Street.

After the bike did a u-turn, Gda O’Driscoll said the pillion passenger, whom he described as around 25-years-old with a Dublin accent, spoke about getting off the bike. The garda, who also took down the registration number, said he then lost sight of the bike.

The inquest heard the motorbike was later found in a lane off North Strand Road.

Dr Draper’s parents, and two sisters, heard he was shot with a handgun which was never recovered.

The autopsy carried out by Dr Declan Gilsenan, then the acting State Pathologist, found four bullet wounds on the body. He died from head and chest injuries due to multiple gunshots wounds.

Det Sgt O’Connell said: “A file was forwarded to the DPP, a number of people were arrested and interviewed. No-one has been charged.”

Dublin City Coroner Dr Brian Farrell said: “The deceased’s life had been threatened in the past and I am not going to go into that matter at the moment as the case is still open.”

The jury passed a verdict of unlawful killing by persons unknown.

Dr Farrell said: “I am appalled by what happened. This was a cruel shooting, a dreadful crime, we appeal to anyone who has any information on this shooting to come forward and further assist the gardaí with their investigation.”