Derek Dunne

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Derek "Maradonna" Dunne was a former League of Ireland soccer player turned drug dealer. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Early life

He grew up in Grenville Street, off Hill Street on the northside of Dublin in an area badly affected by heroin addiction. [3]

As a teenager he played for Belvedere F.C., then moved to St Patrick's Athletic F.C. for four years as well as Dublin Bus. [3] While playing for the latter teams he began selling heroin. [3] When officials at Dublin Bus heard allegations that he was dealing drugs, he was dropped by them. [3] A former manager at St Pat's was surprised at the allegations as Dunne had applied himself to soccer very well. [3]

Criminal career

In 1994 the North Central Divisional Drug Squad targeted him and a number of his close associates in an operation codenamed "Family Tree". [3] He was questioned several times but never charged. [3]

In 1995 he attacked and seriously assaulted a nephew of Gerry "the Monk" Hutch, leaving him in a coma and putting Dunne under a sentence of death. [3] [1] Dunne paid £200,000 to the Monk to have the contract annulled. [1] He then set up a permanent base in Liverpool. [3]

In January 1996 he was arrested by police in Manchester following a joint operation with Gardaí and charged with conspiracy to smuggle heroin into Ireland. [3] The initial trial collapsed over publicity involving the murder of Veronica Guerin and the second trial found him not guilty. [3]

Private life

He was in a long-term relationship with the daughter of George Mitchell and they had a daughter. [3]

Death

He was found outside his apartment in Amsterdam lying dead on the ground by Dutch police. [2] He was 33. [2] [3] An Englishman was found seriously wounded and a Dutch man in handcuffs was found with a minor injury. [4] The Dutchman was an associate of Dunne's who was forced to help the Englishman and a Yugoslav find Dunne's home. [4] Dunne's girlfriend answered the door to them. [4] The newcomers had come to Dunne about a debt owned to the Yugoslav. [4] Shots were exchanged between the newcomers and Dunne in which the latter was fatally injured. [4]

A man from the former Yugoslavia confessed to shooting Derek Dunne, claiming self defence. [5] Dunne had been approached for debts because three English associates of Dunne owed debts to the Yugoslav and Dunne was asked to honour the debt. [5] Dunne had reacted angrily to their arrival, ordered them to leave and a gun battle broke out. [5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Sweeney, John; MacDonald, Henry (11 June 2000). "Death of the toxic heroin wholesaler". The Observer . Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 "Drug dealer murdered in Amsterdam". BBC News. 3 June 2000. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Dillon, Fiona (5 June 2000). "So-called golden boy who made a filthy fortune from death and misery". Irish Independent . Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Sweeney, Conor (4 June 2000). "Row over debt led to killing of Irishman in Amsterdam". Sunday Independent . Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 Conway, Isabel (25 July 2000). "Man admits shooting drug dealer Dunne". Irish Independent . Retrieved 24 June 2020.