A man arrested in Dublin in connection with the 2020 murder of Robbie Lawlor in Belfast has been remanded in custody facing extradition to Northern Ireland.
Jonathan Gill (44) was brought to the High Court in Dublin on Friday after being arrested by gardaí on Thursday at an address on Malahide Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3.
He was detained on foot of an extradition warrant issued to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) by Belfast Magistrates’ Court on March 31st.
Lawlor was shot dead on Etna Drive in the Ardoyne area of Belfast on April 4th, 2020. Lawlor had been linked to the murder of Co Louth teenager Keane Mulready-Woods. The teen’s body was dismembered and parts dumped across Dublin in 2020.
READ MORE
Gardaí are investigating Lawlor’s murder jointly with the PSNI.
Evidence of Gill’s arrest was presented by gardaí on Friday before Mr Justice Barry O’Donnell. Gill is entitled to challenge his extradition.
Det Sgt Frank Lambe, from the extradition unit at the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, told the High Court he had arrested Gill, also known as Jack Gill, in Clontarf at 4.50pm on Thursday.
The officer identified himself and his rank to Gill, who made no reply when cautioned, the court heard.
Det Sgt Lambe said Gill was taken to Clontarf Garda station, where he was shown the warrant for his arrest, endorsed by the High Court, Dublin, and asked him to confirm his name and date of birth.
He was informed of his rights to legal representation, a translator and legal advice in the UK.
Lambe said a summary of the offences was read to Gill and he was asked if he knew “what the offences are about”, “to which he replied ‘No’”.
The Garda sergeant said he was satisfied the person on the warrant was the same person before the High Court on Friday and he identified Gill in the courtroom as the man dressed in a black top and shorts.
The judge said he was “clearly satisfied” as to Gill’s identity.
Gemma McLoughlin-Burke, defending, told the court their intention to reply and said there were legal issues in the alleged offences, which she said “merit” a second barrister.
It was shown on the face of the warrant that extradition had been sought on the basis he was alleged to have been engaged in a joint criminal enterprise.
The PSNI believed that Lawlor’s murder had been part of an drugs feud stemming from the Republic of Ireland with criminal associations in the Dublin, Sligo and Drogheda areas.
The warrant stated a number of key personalities involved in the feud had been murdered during the currency of the feud.
The PSNI has been investigating the murder of Lawlor with the assistance of An Garda Síochána.
Gill was remanded in custody at Cloverhill Prison until the extradition hearing at the High Court on April 21st. – Additional reporting: PA
