Limerick brother in claim of death threat after attack

A brother of Michael Kelly, the Limerick criminal who died from a gunshot wound to the head last year, has claimed he received…

A brother of Michael Kelly, the Limerick criminal who died from a gunshot wound to the head last year, has claimed he received a death threat yesterday from a number of gunmen, who had shot at him outside his home the previous night.

Anthony Kelly received pellet wounds to the side of his face in a shooting incident at 10pm on Thursday outside his home in O'Malley Park in the Southill area of Limerick city.

The 44-year-old father of six claimed the gunmen in the incident on Thursday night had threatened his life again yesterday morning, warning him that he "would be put down on top of his brother, Michael".

Michael Kelly died last June 13th, four weeks after he was found in a coma at his mother's home in Lilac Court, Southill.

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The self-confessed criminal and former Limerick city councillor died after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head.

Anthony Kelly has always denied the gunshot wound was self-inflicted and says his brother was shot by a lone gunman.

Mr Kelly arranged for the exhumation of his brother's body shortly after burial, to dispel media reports that a gun had been placed alongside his brother in the coffin.

Speaking about Thursday night's shooting incident, Anthony Kelly claimed that at least six shots were fired at him outside his home.

He received treatment in Limerick Regional Hospital, where his injuries were described as minor.

Mr Kelly made another complaint to gardaí yesterday after stating that the same gunmen in Thursday night's attack had threatened to kill him yesterday morning.

"I have six young children living in O'Malley Park, and my family are terrified and living in fear," he said.

Thursday night's shooting follows a number of attacks on Mr Kelly and his home.

Last November four shots were fired at the house in O'Malley Park; windows were broken, but no one was injured. In August Mr Kelly sustained a broken arm after he was assaulted by a group of men in the city centre.

Gardaí believe the incidents may be linked to a long-running feud between two families in Southill.

However, Mr Kelly has rejected claims that he and his family are involved in any feud.

He has also denied that Thursday night's attack was a retaliation for an incident earlier that day in which a man in his 20s was shot in the hand in Southill.

Mr Kelly, who has previous convictions for criminal damage and public order offences, said yesterday there would be no reprisals from him or his family.