Five Limerick men have started life jail sentences after being convicted of the murder of Limerick crime boss Kieran Keane and the attempted murder of his nephew, Owen Treacy.
After deliberating for more than 15 hours over three days in the Central Criminal Court, the jury of seven women and five men returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all five accused for the murder of Kieran Keane at Drombana, Limerick on 29th January last.
The jury also found them guilty of the attempted murder of Owen Treacy and of two counts of falsely imprisoning Keiran Keane and Owen Treacy on the same date. They are: Desmond Dundon (20) of Hyde Road, Limerick; David "Frogs Eyes" Stanners (31) of Pineview Gardens, Moyross; James McCarthy (24) of Delmege Park, Moyross; Christopher "Smokie" Costelloe (20) of Moylish Avenue, Ballynanty Beg and Anthony "Noddy" McCarthy (21) of Fairgreen, Garryowen.
As they were being led away, Anthony Noddy McCarthy shouted towards the Keanes; "For every action there's a reaction -remember that. James McCarthy shouted "bastard" towards Owen Treacy.
On the stand, Sophie Keane said the men that killed her husband were "animals". She said "time has stood still" and that her life was finished the day "they took my husband's life".
Asked what he did, one of the accused shouted :"he sold drugs and killed people, he killed Eddie Ryan".
Kieran Keane (36) of Garryowen Limerick had his hands tied behind his back and shot once in the head in an execution-style killing. Owen Treacy (31) of Munchin's Street, St Mary's
Park, Limerick was stabbed 17 times. Treacy, the chief prosecution witness, was in court yesterday (sat) as the jury came back with their verdict shortly before 6 p.m.
Armed gardai from the Emergency Response Unit, attached to the Special Detective Unit, formed a barrier between the five accused, their supporters and Owen Treacy who sat at the back of the court.
A previous attempt to hold the trial in Limerick were thwarted when the court failed to empanel a jury.
During the course of the trial, there were multiple applications to discharge the jury because of what the defence claimed was prejudicial media coverage.
Exempting the jury from further jury service for life, trial judge Mr Justice Paul Carney, paid tribute to their courage and sacrifice.
He sentenced all five accused to the mandatory life sentence for murder and deferred sentence for the remaining three counts until 3rd February when the court will sit in Limerick City. Leave to appeal was refused.