Homes linked to son of slain mob boss up for sale after Cab seizure
David Raleigh
Two houses, seized by the Garda Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) that were associated with the son of a murdered Limerick crime boss and deemed to be proceeds of crime, were advertised for sale by public auction on Monday.
The two three-bedroom properties, along with three cars and €100,000, were declared proceeds of crime by the High Court last June.
The court accepted Garda evidence that Kieran Keane Jr, originally from St Mary’s Park, but believed to be living between Spain and Dubai, was a “driving force” in organised crime.
The two properties, each located in Limerick, will go under the hammer at BRG Gibson Auctions Ltd, at midday on Thursday, February 26th. The funds from the sale of the properties will go towards the exchequer.
Keane’s late father, Kieran Keane Sr was kidnapped, tortured, shot in the head and his body dumped on a country lane at Drombana, Co Limerick, in January 2003.
Five members of the McCarthy Dundon crime gang, rivals of the Keane gang, were jailed for life for the murder.
Keane Sr’s nephew, Owen Treacy, was kidnapped and stabbed 17 times in the same attack, however he survived.
Mr Treacy’s evidence for the State against the five McCarthy Dundon associates secured their convictions following their trial at the Central Criminal Court in December 2003.
Gardai told the High Court that Kieran Keane Jr is involved in organised crime and has invested large sums of cash in luxury goods, cars and property.
Despite Keane Jr’s having little or no recognisable source of legitimate income he had ties to at least three homes, and cars and he had also travelled to Spain, Dubai, UK, Lapland.
The court also found that nothing was offered as to the source of €101,000 in the AIB bank account.
Mr Justice Alexander Owens said he accepted CAB officer’s belief evidence on affidavit, that Keane Jr had allegedly associated with a number of known criminals and that he was an alleged “driving force” in organised crime.
One of the two properties up for auction on February 26th has a guide price of €120,000.
This three-bed, end of terrace property, located at 12 The Path, Garryowen, includes off-street parking to front/enclosed yard to rear, and has an estimated stamp duty of €1,200.
It is situated off Garryowen Road in an “established residential area” approximately 10 minutes walk from Limerick City Centre, and all public amenities.
The second property up for auction in February, 7 Sarsfield Court, Garyowen, Pennywell, Limerick, and guiding at €100,000, is a three-bed terrace home arranged over two floors, with an entrance hall, lounge, kitchen and dining area on the ground floor.
The first floor includes three bedrooms, one of which is configured as an inner room without direct access from the landing, and a main bathroom.
Externally, the property, which includes an estimated stamp duty of €1,000, benefits from off-street parking to the front and enclosed yard to the rear.
A ten minute walk from Limerick City Centre, the property is close to amenities including St John’s Hospital, post office service, Kilmurry Park, schools, restaurants and shops.
According to the auction ad, bidders must complete their registration to bid for the two properties by 1pm, February 24th, and must have their bidder security paid and supporting information uploaded to the auction site.
The Keane gang has long being involved in a drug turf war with the McCarthy Dundon gang and other criminal outfits in Limerick.
The notorious gang feud in the mid 2000s led to numerous killings in the city that led to the signing into law of anti-gangland legislation following the deaths of two innocent men, Shane Geoghegan in 2008, and Roy Collin, 2009.
In June 2015, Kieran Keane Jr’s uncle, Christy Keane, who is a convicted drug dealer, survived an assassination attempt when he was shot at close range by McCarthy Dundon associates, on the grounds of University of Limerick as he was about to attend an early morning gym session at the UL Sports Arena.
