Houses associated with son of murdered Limerick gangster proceeds of crime, court rules
The
High Court
has ruled that three houses associated with the son of slain
Limerick
gangster Kieran Keane snr are the proceeds of crime, as are three cars and more than €100,000 frozen by the
Criminal Assets Bureau
(CAB).
At the High Court on Wednesday, respondents Kieran Keane jnr, who is believed to be in either Dubai or Spain, and his girlfriend Laura Flanagan, with an address in Garryowen, Co Limerick, had receivers appointed to the two houses, the cars and €101,000 in an AIB account after the court found he had no recognisable source of income and that she had been saving her social welfare for a period.
Mr Keane jnr is the son of Limerick feud gangster Kieran Keane snr, who was murdered in January 2003, and the nephew of convicted drug-dealer Christy Keane.
Mr Justice Alexander Owens said that an application for receivership over the Garryowen home property occupied by Ms Flanagan and her family would have to be brought by Cab at the next sitting of the case when any application for a stay could be considered.
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Shelley Horan BL, for Cab, told the court that a forensic analysis of the couple's finances showed that travel expenses from the bank account used by Mr Keane jnr and Ms Flanagan showed expenses that revealed trips to Lithuania for cosmetic surgery, travel to Spain, Dubai and also to Lapland within the period of 2010 to 2019.
At the High Court on Wednesday, Mr Justice Owens found that three Limerick properties that Mr Keane enjoyed the benefit of but had no title on were the proceeds of crime.
Ms Horan had told the judge that 'absolutely nothing is offered for the source of funds for the seven assets subject to this case'.
Ms Horan said a financial analyst at Cab estimated that one of the three Limerick properties had undergone approximately €289,000 in refurbishments which could not be accounted for.
Mr Justice Owens ruled that three cars, an Audi A4 – since sold by Cab – a Skoda Octavia and a VW Amarok were also the proceeds of crime and had been in the possession of Mr Keane junior.
Mr Justice Owens said that, regarding the AIB account, it appeared that they were 'living on fresh air' due to a lack of bank records for everyday regular expenditure.
The judge said that if Mr Keane was in Dubai for a number of years then he must have money to pay his bills there because otherwise the respondent would be in jail.
The judge said that Ms Flanagan and her children resided at the family home in Garryowen and that it would be 'clearly disruptive' to remove them from their family environment, which he had to take into consideration.
Mr Justice Owens said that Mr Keane jnr had lived outside of the jurisdiction for a number of years without any apparent present intention to return but said he 'envisaged' Mr Keane jnr would do so in the future as his partner and children were living here.
The judge said he was satisfied from a 'comprehensive' investigation by Cab that all three Garryowen properties were 'derived from the proceeds of crime' acquired in 'cash under the table deals'.
The judge said of a separate fourth property, not involved in the High Court proceedings and since sold by the couple, that 'one cannot see where the money for that came from'.
The judge said that an accounting analyst at Cab reported that property was bought as a 'shell' after being burned out and that €180,000 was spent on renovations.
'One can see from the photos it is anything but a shell. It was totally renovated and sold off,' said the judge.
Mr Justice Owens said that it had been contended by Mr Keane jnr that the money in the AIB account was from, among other things, the sale of motorcars from his garage, but that the firm never made any tax returns.
'It is impossible to see any legitimate source for the working capital,' he said.
Mr Justice Owens said that a lifestyle analysis carried out by Cab made it 'clear' that Mr Keane jnr did not have the money to purchase the cars.
The judge said he accepted Cab officers' belief evidence on affidavit that Mr Keane jnr had allegedly associated with a number of known criminals himself and that he was an alleged 'driving force' in organised crime.
'It is likely that this criminal organisation is the source of funds used for all of these properties,' said the judge.
Mr Justice Owens awarded costs solely against Mr Keane jnr and noted that neither Mr Keane jnr nor Ms Flanagan were on free legal aid.
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