A MEMBER of Limerick's Dundon-McCarthy gang has been transferred under armed Garda escort to the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, for his own safety.
The authorities in Limerick Prison, where Ger Dundon was committed on Wednesday, decided to transfer the 21 year old over fears he would be attacked by other criminals who are feuding with Dundon's brothers.
Dundon was taken by five prison officers from Limerick last night and driven to the midlands where he is expected to serve his 10-month sentence. The transfer party left Limerick at 5pm.
Dundon, from Hyde Road, Limerick, was committed to Limerick Prison on Wednesday after he presented himself at a court hearing in the city. He had been unlawfully at large for over a month after failing to appear at an appeal hearing relating to his conviction on 34 motoring charges.
When he failed to appear at the appeal hearing a warrant was issued for his arrest and he was being actively sought by gardaí.
During his trial in July his solicitor, John Devane, told Limerick District Court Dundon had been driving while banned because he needed to move around in a bullet-proof car after a €1 million contract on his life was taken out by other criminals in the city. Mr Devane said his client's family, who "live in daily fear for their lives", gave Dundon a number of vehicles including a black bullet-proof BMW for his protection.
The court heard that Dundon - who was disqualified from driving for eight years in 2005 - is afraid to walk the streets of Limerick or any other city in Ireland.
Dundon, who had 48 previous convictions prior to July's court appearance, was convicted of 34 separate motoring offences. These included charges of dangerous driving, driving with no insurance and driving while disqualified on separate dates between February and June of this year.
"My client . . . is aware of a €1 million contract on his head because of who his family are and cannot walk around the streets of Limerick city or any city in this country," said Mr Devane.
Nobody would drive with his client except gardaíand prison escorts "who are armed to the teeth because they need to be".
Dundon's brother Wayne is serving a seven-year jail term for threatening to kill a barman who refused to serve his sister. Within 30 minutes the barman was shot.
Another Dundon, 24-year-old Dessie, is serving life for the murder of Limerick drug dealer Kieran Keane.