Two separate inquests into the deaths of men killed in gangland shootings in Dublin have been adjourned for six months as gardaí continue to investigate both incidents.
Sean Little (22) was shot dead in north county Dublin on May 21st, 2019. His killer or killers then set Little’s car alight and fled the scene.
The inquest into Little’s death has been delayed numerous times and gardaí sought a further six-month extension at the Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Tuesday.
Det Insp Jim McDermott said the extension was necessary as the Garda investigation is “complex”. He said one witness is outside the jurisdiction and subject to a European arrest warrant.
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At the same sitting of the court on Tuesday, Det Insp Dara Kenny sought a six-month extension in the inquest of Brandon Ledwidge. The 23-year-old was shot dead outside his family home in Finglas on November 18th, 2023.
Kenny said gardaí were making ongoing efforts to “extract and analyse” data from Ledwidge’s mobile phone.
In 2024, the coroner’s court was told Ledwidge died of a gunshot wound to the chest. A drug-related motive is suspected for the killing.
Coroner Dr Clare Keane granted both six-month extensions and the cases are due back before the court on December 15th.
Gardaí believe Little was lured to the location where he was killed in 2019 on the pretence of meeting somebody he knew and trusted. He was standing on the road beside his car when he was shot in the head and chest.
His killer then set his car on fire, with a member of the public calling Dublin Fire Brigade when they saw the fire.
While the victim, who is from Coolock in north Dublin, had not been convicted of any crimes, he had been very closely associated with known gangland criminals.
