BACKGROUND:The first murder victim of 2010 was involved in gangland crime, writes CONOR LALLY
JOHN PAUL Joyce was released from prison in November and had enjoyed just weeks of freedom with his partner and two children before he was abducted last Thursday and shot in the head.
Joyce (30) grew up on the small Grove Lane halting site off the Malahide Road in Coolock, north Dublin. Along with his brother Tommie – who was shot dead last June – he headed a significant Coolock drugs gang.
John Paul Joyce, formerly an apprentice butcher, had convictions for violent disorder, assault causing harm, being drunk, threatening and abusive behaviour and road traffic offences. He had most recently served a prison sentence for his role in an assault that left a man brain damaged.
He and his brother James (26) Dalton Park, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, were sentenced to two years and to 18 months respectively in October 2008.
The brothers subjected Conor Weldon to a savage beating after he had accidentally spilled drink on their party at St Patrick’s Day celebrations in a pub in Rush, north Co Dublin, in 2006.
During the beating Mr Weldon had a door closed several times on his head while another of the attackers stamped on his head.
He spent several weeks in a coma, suffered renal failure, pulmonary problems and was left partially brain damaged. It took six months of rehabilitation before he learned to walk again.
Mr Weldon later criticised the brothers’ sentences saying: “One of them get two years, one gets 18 months. I get the rest of my life. I just can’t understand it.”
John Paul and Tommie Joyce had both been targeted by the Criminal Assets Bureau.
The bureau seized two cars – a Ranger Rover SE Sports and a BMW – worth more than €100,000 – from Tommie.
Cab is currently in the process of seizing a watch from John Paul valued at €30,000 and €100,000 in cash.
The brothers’ wealth was built on drug dealing.
In October 2007, when gardaí raided property connected to the brothers, they found cocaine valued at €75,000, ammunition, an imitation sawn-off shotgun and a Samurai sword.
During another raid targeting the Joyces in January 2008, gardaí found a cocaine-mixing plant with cocaine valued at €1.5 million along with glucose mixing agent, weighing scales and blenders, a gun, ammunition and cash.
In the other raid, cocaine valued at €560,000 was found along with ammunition and cash. In January 2007, gardaí seized cocaine and cannabis valued at €500,000 from the gang.