Court hears murder plotters discuss shooting woman, baby and gardaí 'if they get in the way' of Kinahan cartel shooting

Liam Brannigan (aged 37) from Bride Street, Dublin 8, is charged with conspiring to murder Gary Hanley at a location within the State between September 15 and November 6, 2017.

The accused has pleaded not guilty.

Three men have already pleaded guilty to the plot to kill Mr Hanley and been jailed - Luke Wilson, Joseph Kelly and Alan Wilson.

In the Special Criminal Court today, the prosecution played an audio clip of an alleged conversation between Luke Wilson and Joseph Kelly while they were travelling in a white Volkswagen caddy van on November 2, 2017.

This was four days before the two men were arrested a “short distance” from Mr Hanley’s home and gardaí seized a 9mm Beretta semi-automatic pistol and silencer.

The court has previously heard that Mr Brannigan was seen driving the same van on October 3, 2017.

In the clip played this morning, Luke Wilson and Joseph Kelly are travelling in the caddy van at around 6.40am on November 2, 2017, and discussing how difficult it would be to break into a man’s home by going through the front door using a crowbar.

They are also heard discussing when would be the most opportune time to shoot the man who’s “living over in Fairview”.

Male one says to male two: “this fella takes precautions big time”.

Male one adds: “He doesn’t even understand why our people want him gone because he’s such an idiot”, to which male two replies: “he’s an arsehole”.

One of the men says “the only time you see him is when he’s standing at his door”, to which the other man replies, “That’s the perfect opportunity, man”.

Male two appears to be worried about what’s “beyond” the man’s front door and also says he reckons that breaking down the front door with a crowbar would raise suspicion amongst the man’s neighbours and that, within minutes, they’d be surrounded by gardaí.

Male two then says that he would have no problem waiting in a van and when the man stepped out of his house “at some stage” that he would shoot him.

He added:

Baby or no baby, I don’t give a fuck.

The two men discussed the logistics of where they would be positioned before male two repeats: “I really think there is an easier way than going through the front door with a crowbar. That’s going to take too much time. The neighbours are going to see that.”

Male two also said that they both need to let someone else, referred to as “him”, know that they’re not comfortable with using a crowbar at the front door.

One of the men said they had been talking to “him” the night before.

One of the men also says that if a woman who lives at the house leaves without locking the door, it would be easier for the two men to carry out their plan.

Then male two suggests going “barefaced” up to the front door, wearing a hi-viz jacket and holding a clipboard, knocking on the door and entering the premises and shooting the man.

Male one told male two he shouldn't go ‘barefaced” as “your fucking face is up”.

“Don’t go barefaced, man,” male one said to male two.

One of the men again said that they had been talking to “him” last night and asked if there was anybody who could “draw him out [of the house] with a phone call”.

Male one also said to male two that, according to his [male one’s] information, that the man goes to the gym every day at 5pm.

Male two then says he has no problem shooting the man’s female partner.

He said: “We get through the door, yeah. It’s going to be his missus, a child.

If they get in the way, they’re going to be killed. She’s obviously going to try and get in the way. There’s a child going to be there.

Male one responds: “Ah no come here, the way it is, like under strict orders, no birds are to be hit.”

However then male one adds: “If there’s a ricochet, there’s a ricochet, accidents happen.”

Male two then says “if she gets in the way, I’ll give it to her”.

Male one suggests shooting anyone who gets in their way in the leg, saying “one in the leg, get the fuck out the way”.

The discussion then returns to their concerns about the front door, and how it would take five minutes to get through the heavy door.

Male two said: “There’s going to be people looking out of their window and the police will be all over us, know what I mean?”

He added that he intends on getting his “job done” no matter what.

“If police are there, I’m going to shoot the police as well,” he said.

Male two then repeats that there’s an “easier way to do this” and tells male one that he has information that the man goes to the gym every day.

Male two adds that he’s “only been talking to our friend across the road from you” and that they don’t know “what’s beyond that door”.

Male two later appears to be relieved that male one agrees with him that the idea of breaking in the front door with a crowbar is a bad idea.

He said: “We need to get home safe and we need to get paid.”

Male one agrees and said: “It’s all about getting home…before anything, it’s getting home safe.”

During the same conversation, one of the men can be heard sniffing intermittently and loudly before saying “coke is nice”.

The court has previously heard that secret listening devices were placed on six suspect vehicles by surveillance gardaí in August, September and October 2017, as part of an ongoing Garda investigation into members of the Kinahan Organised Crime Gang and their associates.

One of these cars was the white Volkswagen caddy van.

Luke Wilson (aged 24), from Cremona Road in Ballyfermot, Dublin, and Joseph Kelly (aged 35) of Kilworth Road, Drimnagh, Dublin 12, were arrested after their caddy was stopped on Philipsburgh Avenue, Marino, Dublin 3, just after 8pm on the night of November 6, 2017.

During that arrest, gardaí seized a 9mm Beretta semi-automatic pistol and other items.

Luke Wilson, Joseph Kelly and Alan Wilson (aged 39) of New Street Gardens, Dublin 8 have all already pleaded guilty to conspiring to murder Mr Hanley and been jailed.