Man (20) is one of the leading instigators in violent Limerick feud, court hears
A man charged in connection with a drive-by shooting in Limerick, is one of the leading instigators of an ongoing feud in the city, gardaí alleged in court on Tuesday.
Shane Blackhall, (20), Mungret Court, Watergate, Limerick, appeared before Limerick District Court in respect of a gun attack at Hyde Avenue, January 6th last.
Advertisement
Gardaí alleged during Tuesday's bail hearing that Mr Blackhall was 'actively involved' in an ongoing violent feud and they were fearful someone would be killed or seriously injured if he was granted bail.
Detective Garda Seamus Murphy told the court he charged Mr Blackhall on Monday with one count of possessing a firearm in suspicious circumstances on January 6th.
Det Gda Murphy said he also charged Mr Blackhall with one count of unlawfully taking a blue Volkswagen car, which Gardaí allege was used in the January 6th drive-by shooting.
Mr Blackhall was also charged with possessing €26,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply, and possessing cannabis, which Garda Murphy said was found in Mr Blackhall's home when Gardaí searched it on July 10th last, as part of investigations into the January 6th shooting.
Advertisement
Garda Murphy told the court that at 6:34pm on January 6th last, gardaí responded to reports of a shooting at Hyde Avenue, Limerick, and discovered a stolen Volkswagen car abandoned and extensively damaged after it had crashed into a lamppost near the scene.
Gardaí found two 9mm bullet casings inside the car as well as a further five 9mm bullet casings at various points along Hyde Avenue.
Forensic analysis of the bullet casings found inside the car and along Hyde Avenue showed they were '9mm Luger' ammunition, and that 'all fired from the same weapon'.
Garda Murphy said investigating gardaí believe that a 'Glock, semi-automatic' firearm was used in the gun attack.
Advertisement
Garda Murphy said gardaí had harvested CCTV footage showing the stolen VW car moving along Hyde Avenue and 'slowing' as it comes to houses, and a 'number of shots are discharged' from the car.
Garda Murphy said the footage shows the car 'travel at speed' away onto Lenihan Avenue, Byrne Avenue, and onto Rosbrien Road, passing an ESB premises.
The CCTV footage also shows the car crashed at Ashbourne Avenue and two individuals fleeing the vehicle, said Garda Murphy.
The Garda witness alleged that a subsequent forensic examination of the VW car had resulted in the discovery of human DNA on the car's driver-side airbag, which he alleged was a match for Mr Blackhall's DNA.
Advertisement
Garda Murphy told the court that more serious charges were anticipated against Mr Blackhall in respect of the shooting investigation.
Mr Blackhall was objecting to bail due to the 'seriousness of the charges, and the strength and nature of the evidence'.
Garda Murphy alleged in court: 'The accused was actively involved in an ongoing feud on the south side of Limerick City at the time of his arrest and the commission of the offences for which he is currently charged with.'
'Gardaí believe these offences were committed as part of this feud and the accused was one of the main instigators of same.'
Advertisement
'I believe that if he (Mr Blackhall) is granted bail, the accused will again become involved in this feud and will pose a serious and active threat to homeowners and members of the public.'
Garda Murphy said serious weaponry had been used in the feud and that gardaí were concerned about a safety risk to the general public.
Ireland
Josef Puska's two brothers and their wives guilty...
Read More
Answering Mr Blackhall's solicitor, Sarah Ryan, who stated the accused would abide by whatever bail conditions the court decided, Garda Murphy stated: 'I do not believe that there are any bail conditions which would be applied that could prevent further similar crimes by the accused.'
'It is my belief that, if granted bail, there will be further serious offences committed by the accused, up to the risk of further property been damaged, including loss of (life) and serious injury.'
Judge Patricia Harney said she believed Det Gda Murphy's evidence was 'well-founded' and 'should be accepted', and she refused bail.
The judge remanded Mr Blackhall in custody to appear before Limerick District Court again on June 24th for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
13 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
10% of those attending sexual assault treatment units reported multiple assailants
One in 10 of all people attending sexual assault treatment units in Ireland last year reported that they had been attacked by multiple assailants. The latest annual report of the country's six sexual assault treatment units (SATUs) shows the proportion of cases where someone has been sexually assaulted by two or more individuals increased to 10 per cent in 2024 from nine per cent in 2023 and seven per cent in 2022. Advertisement It also revealed that the rate of use of weapons in incidents of sexual violence more than doubled to seven per cent last year with physical restraints being used in 36 per cent of all reported cases. The report said the latest figures could suggest an escalation in the severity of injuries sustained in incidents of sexual assault as the number of people requiring referrals for injury follow-up care increased by a third to 21 – two per cent of all cases. Five individuals needed to be hospitalised due to their injuries last year. The latest figures show 21 per cent of people who reported sexual violence expressed concern that they their drink may have been spiked while a further 17 per cent were unsure whether a drug-facilitated sexual assault had occurred. Advertisement They also reveal that the share of incidents where the perpetrator was described as a stranger also increased to 31 per ceny last year from 28 per cent in 2023 and 26 per ceny in 2022. However, there was a fall in the rate of 'recent acquaintance' assaults by someone who the victim has met in the previous 24 hours which decreased by 4 percentage points to 11 per cent in 2024. Overall, the report shows the number of people attending the HSE-funded SATUs fell by four per cent last year with a total of 1,021 people who had experienced sexual violence attending the six centres – down 41 on the previous year. The largest SATU in Dublin recorded a 13 per cent decrease in attendances – down 57 compared with the previous year to 394 in 2024 while there was an 18 per cent decrease in numbers at the Galway centre – down 24 to 113. Advertisement The other four centres – Cork, Mullingar, Letterkenny and Waterford – all reported modest increases in the number of people using their services. Approximately half of all people attending SATUs last year were aged under 25, while the average age of attendees was 28 years. The report revealed two per cent of individuals attending SATUs were aged under 14 years. According to official figures, 91% of people using SATU services in 2024 were female, while eight per cent were male and one per cent identified as another gender or none – a similar trend to recent years. Advertisement Approximately 7 out of 10 people attending SATUs last year identified themselves as Irish. Individuals from 57 other nationalities also availed for SATU services with four per cent of all cases needing the assistance of a translator. The report shows a third of all incidents of sexual violence reported at SATUs occurred in Dublin, while 83 per cent occurred within Ireland. A further 7.5 per cent took place in the rest of Europe. Advertisement While weekend days of Friday, Saturday and Sunday continued to account for the largest proportion of incidents, their share decreased from 79 per cent in 2023 to 56 per cent last year. The report reveals that 35 per cent of people attending a SATU last year did so less than 24 hours after their experience of sexual violence with another 25 per cent seeking assistance between 24 and 72 hours. The overwhelming majority of incidents (82 per cent) occurred between 8pm and 8am. More than two-thirds occurred indoors with 22 per cent in the victim's home and 21 per cent in the assailant's home. Despite some lack of facilities, the report showed that 95 per cent of people were seen within three hours of a request for a forensic clinical examination – the highest rate ever and ahead of the target of 90 per cent. However, it also highlighted how a third of cases where there was a delay beyond three hours was due to a SATU being 'unavailable for use.' SATU national clinical lead, Maeve Eogan, said in most cases this generally meant a unit was unavailable because another case was in progress. Another 24 per cent of delays were due to the unavailability of a forensic clinical examiner and 21 per cent due to the absence of SATU support staff. 'These findings highlight the need for additional forensic suites and sufficient staffing, particularly in high-demand units,' said Prof Eogan. She added: 'It remains imperative that people can access responsive care in a timely fashion and that all aspects of society are aware of the prevalence and potential impacts of sexual violence, and the location and type of services available.' Just over half of all individuals (52 per cent) attending a SATU last year opted for a forensic clinical examination which is available to anyone aged 14 years or over who wants to make a complaint to An Garda Síochána about experiencing sexual violence which has occurred within the previous seven days. A quarter of people, who did not want to report the matter to gardai, opted for a sexual health screen with no forensic samples taken while 13 per cent, who were undecided about notifying gardaí about what happened to them, chose a forensic clinical examination where forensic samples are securely stored for a period of up to 12 months. The report also highlighted how SATU staff continued outreach activity last year including attendance at a number of concerts and festivals. Prof Eogan said engagement and collaboration with communities was increasingly recognised as an important factor in creating awareness, reducing incidents, facilitating disclosure and provide a swift care response for those who have experienced sexual violence. 'Nobody ever 'wants' to attend a SATU and we never cease to be amazed by the strength that our service users display, despite the significance of the events they have experienced,' Prof Eogan remarked.
The Independent
14 hours ago
- The Independent
Keir Starmer claims Kneecap Glastonbury performance ‘not appropriate'
Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap are scheduled to perform at Glastonbury next weekend, despite controversy surrounding one of its members. Band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh has been charged under the Terrorism Act for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a London show last year. Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated he does not think Kneecap's performance at Glastonbury is appropriate due to the ongoing court case. Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch called for the BBC not to broadcast Kneecap's performance, citing the charge and accusing the band of extremism. The band denies supporting Hamas or Hezbollah, calling the charge a distraction, and has publicly linked the issue to their support for Palestine.
BreakingNews.ie
15 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Anti-racism and anti-immigration demonstrations held in Dublin city
An anti-racism rally and an anti-immigration demonstration were held in Dublin City on Sunday. O'Connell Bridge was closed for a time on Sunday afternoon as the gardaí erected extensive barriers to separate the two crowds. Advertisement The United Against Racism rally began at the Central Plaza on Dame Street, marching through the city to O'Connell Bridge at around 2pm. An anti-racism rally was held to counter the anti-immigration demo. Photo: Grainne Ni Aodha/PA. Several protesters carried signs saying: 'Blame the Government, not migrants'; and: 'Dublin stands against racism'. They also chanted: 'Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here.' The anti-immigration protest marched down O'Connell Street and turned left at O'Connell bridge before continuing along the quays. Participants from both sides shouted and gestured towards each other from across the empty space between the barriers created by gardai. Advertisement Officers formed a barrier between the demonstrations. Photo: Grainne Ni Aodha/PA. At one point, the anti-racism rally chanted at the anti-immigration group: 'You say protect women, that's a lie' and referenced a photo being carried by one person of MMA fighter Conor McGregor, who lost a civil trial where a Dublin woman accused him of raping her in a Dublin hotel. The anti-immigration group, which was the larger of the two, was thick with large tricolour flags. It chanted 'ole ole' and: 'Whose streets? Our streets'. Several people were seen wearing 'Make Ireland Great Again' green caps and holding US or 'Trump' flags, and some signs critical of RTE. Advertisement The two rallies chanted and gestured towards each other. Photo: Grainne Ni Aodha/PA. At one point, the famous rebel song 'Oro 'Se do bheatha 'bhaile' was played by the anti-racism rally over a speaker, and prompted some participants in the anti-immigration group to sing along and applaud at the end. There was an extensive Garda presence at the location where the two protest groups were due to cross paths. The Garda Mounted Support Unit, the Public Order Unit, and Garda members from outside the Dublin Metropolitan Region were in attendance. One Garda member was heard telling a member of the public he could not give directions as he was brought in from a region outside Dublin to police the protest. Advertisement
