A senior judge has warned that five men convicted of a brutal gangland killing could die in prison unless a vicious Limerick feud is brought to an end.
Mr Justice Carney issued the warning at the Central Criminal Court in Limerick yesterday where five men previously sentenced to life for the murder of Mr Kieran Keane were further sentenced for the attempted murder of his nephew, Mr Owen Treacy, and the false imprisonment of both men.
"I want to say primarily to the friends and supporters of the accused on the outside, that each of them will die in prison unless in the fullness of time there is an intervention in their cases by the Parole Board.
"The Parole Board is entirely independent and it seems to me unlikely to intervene while the feud is a live issue. This should be borne in mind by the supporters of the feud and by the accused men," said Mr Justice Carney.
Appearing before the Central Criminal Court yesterday were Desmond Dundon (19), Hyde Road, Limerick; David Stanners, (31), Moyross, Limerick; James McCarthy (24), Moyross, Limerick; Christopher Costello (20), Ballynanty Beg, Limerick; and Anthony McCarthy (21), Garryowen, Limerick.
Last December all five were given mandatory life sentences after being found guilty of the murder of Mr Keane, who was shot dead on the outskirts of Limerick city on January 29th, 2003.
Yesterday all five were further sentenced to 15 years for the attempted murder of Mr Treacy, who was stabbed 17 times in the same brutal attack.
Mr Justice Carney also imposed a seven-year sentence on all five for the false imprisonment of both men. Both sentences are to be served concurrently with the life sentence imposed last December.The judge refused leave to appeal.
Before the sentences were imposed Supt Gerry Mahon from Roxboro Garda station in Limerick, who led the investigation into the Keane murder, told the court that the murder was connected to a bitter feud between rival factions which has led to three other murders since November 2000.
Supt Mahon said the feud was driven by "the sheer and absolute hatred" each side had for each other, which in his view had "not diminished to this day". The court heard that the objective behind the abduction of Mr Keane and Mr Treacy was to kill both men. The court also heard that an attempt was made to lure two other men into a trap that night who Supt Mahon believed would also have been murdered had the plan been successful.
"The objective was to eliminate all those who would stand in their way and of those who were perceived to be their enemies with an objective of totally dominating and taking control of Limerick city," said Supt Mahon.
Mr Keane's widow, Sophie, was present in court for yesterday's sentencing along with Mr Treacy, who was protected by armed detectives in an upstairs gallery.
More than 60 armed and uniformed gardaí were present in and around the courtroom along with 20 prison officers.