A man suspected by gardaí of ordering the murder of Limerick bouncer Brian Fitzgerald was in custody last night. The man is a senior figure in the McCarthy-Dundon criminal gang in Limerick. He was arrested shortly after 8am yesterday at his home on the south side of the city.
Originally from Limerick, he fled to England following the murder of Mr Fitzgerald, who was shot dead outside his home in Corbally, Limerick, in November 2002.
The father of two was targeted because he refused to allow drug dealers, connected to the McCarthy-Dundon gang, access to Doc’s nightclub where he worked as head of security. In 2001 his home was shot at and his car was destroyed with paint.
Mr Fitzgerald had made a complaint to gardaí about a threat he had received from the man arrested yesterday. The suspect had a suspended sentence hanging over him at the time which he knew would be activated if he was convicted of another offence.
Gardaí believe he ordered the murder of Mr Fitzgerald.
The suspect was released from prison in England two years ago after serving a lengthy sentence for a firearms offence and returned to Limerick on his release from jail.
Two men are serving life sentences for Mr Fitzgerald’s murder. Hired hitman James Martin Cahill (28) from England was recruited to carry out the killing and was paid €10,000.
In 2005, Cahill pleaded guilty to the murder and said he was willing to testify if other people were charged.
Gary Campion, a well-known criminal from Moyross, who drove the motorbike used by Cahill on the night of Mr Fitzgerald’s murder, was convicted by a jury for his role in the killing.
In December 2007, he was sentenced to life.