Robbie Lawlor

Last updated

Robbie Lawlor
Born
Dublin
Died
Etna Drive, Ardoyne, north Belfast
Cause of deathGunshot Wounds
NationalityIrish
CitizenshipIrish

Robbie Lawlor (died 4 April 2020) was an Irish criminal. He was originally from Dublin, but had lived in County Meath and was heavily involved in organised crime, including the Drogheda feud. [1] [2] [3] In November 2022, Lawlor was named in court documents submitted by the Criminal Assets Bureau as the gunman who shot Owen Maguire six times during a 2018 assassination attempt in Drogheda. [4]

Contents

He was well known to Gardaí for being involved in serious and organised crime. [5] He was a suspect in the murders of Kenneth Finn and David Lynch among other crimes. [3] He had over 100 convictions and had been released from prison in December 2019. [5] He had been warned by Gardaí that his life was in danger before he went to Belfast. [5]

Mugging

He was mugged after leaving a gym in December 2019, which was filmed by his assailants, suspected to include Keane Mulready-Woods, a teenager involved with the rival gang who would be subsequently lured to his death which was suspected to have been ordered at the hands of Lawlor. [6] During this daylight assault on Lawlor, the assailants stole his gym bag and flip-flops and posted photos of them wearing the latter after the mugging. [6] The assault was allegedly at the behest of a criminal foe of Lawlor. [6] In ruthless revenge, Mulready-Woods' head and hands were severed from the body, and bags with body parts left in rival turfs in holdalls. The presence of flip-flops in the bag with Mulready-Woods' remains dumped in Coolock was widely interpreted as a threat not to cross Lawlor. [6]

Death

On 4 April 2020, he was shot around 11:50am outside a house in Etna Drive, Ardoyne in north Belfast. [1] [2] [3] [7] [5] The PSNI and Garda Síochána believe he had travelled to Belfast in the hours before he was shot, possibly to collect debts. [1] [2] [3] As well as being a suspect in the death of Keane Mulready-Woods he was suspected of being responsible for a number of other killings. [1] [2] [3] He had been threatened by one faction in the Drogheda feud but was also at odds with a major Dublin criminal who is suspected of several murders including that of Alan Ryan. [1] [2] [3] Three men suspected of the murder were arrested and questioned by the PSNI at Musgrave police station. [1] [2] [3] Three suspects were arrested on April 4, a fourth was arrested on April 5. [7]

The shooting was condemned by Detective Sergeant Jason Murphy, as a murder, as a danger to the local community and due to the additional pressures caused by coronavirus pandemic. [1] [2] [3] The shooting was also condemned by Minister for Justice Naomi Long and Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly. [1] [2] [3] The PSNI suspect that a single gunman shot Lawlor. [7]

Charges brought

In December 2020 two men, one from Derry and one from Belfast, were charged with his murder. [8] [9] [10] Both were also charged with possession of a 9mm pistol with intent to endanger life. [8] [9] They appeared via videolink and spoke only to confirm that they understood the charges. [8] [9] [10] They were remanded in custody, to appear before the court by videolink again on 8 January 2021. [8] [9] [10]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Lally, Conor; Ferguson, Amanda (4 April 2020). "Man shot dead in Belfast was suspect in Keane Mulready-Woods murder". The Irish Times . Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Halpin, Hayley (4 April 2020). "Man shot dead outside house in Belfast was suspect in Mulready-Woods case". TheJournal.ie . Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Reynolds, Paul (4 April 2020). "Man shot in Belfast was suspect in Mulready-Woods murder case". RTÉ News . Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  4. ↑ "Top cop names slain gangster Robbie Lawlor as hitman who left mob boss Owen Maguire paralysed". Sunday World. 3 November 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Reynolds, Paul (5 April 2020). "Teenager among those being questioned over murder of Dublin criminal". RTE News. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Carroll, Rory; McDonald, Henry (10 April 2020). "Police fear gangland feud from Irish Republic now being fought in Belfast". The Guardian . Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 "Robbie Lawlor: 'Single gunman' murdered Dublin man in Ardoyne". BBC News. 5 April 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Two men charged with the murder of Dublin criminal Robbie Lawlor appear in court". TheJournal.ie. Press Association. 11 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Two men charged over Robbie Lawlor murder in Belfast". RTÉ News. 11 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 "Robert Lawlor: Two men charged with Belfast murder". BBC News. 11 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
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