Latest news with #BrianMeehan
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Pictured: Campaigning journalist Veronica Guerin's killer strolls in summer sunshine as he enjoys his first steps of freedom on day release from prison after 26 years
Strolling in the Summer sunshine on a street in Crumlin, south Dublin, this is the man who murdered campaigning journalist Veronica Guerin, enjoying his first steps of freedom on day release after 26 years. Gangland enforcer and getaway driver Brian Meehan was part of a two-man hit team who struck to silence the fearless reporter on June 26, 1996, in a shooting which would shock the entire nation and usher in a new era of law enforcement. Her life was portrayed in the eponymous 2003 Hollywood movie starring Cate Blanchett, Colin Farrell and Ciaran Hinds. Known for her fearless coverage of Ireland's drug underworld, Veronica Guerin, 37, was shot dead in broad daylight while stopped at a traffic light on the Naas Road in Dublin. Her murder, chilling in its audacity, would not only spark national outrage but ultimately lead to the downfall of some of Ireland's most powerful criminal empires -including the conviction of Meehan, who was the getaway driver. Guerin, a mother of one, was a reporter for the Sunday Independent and had carved out a reputation as one of Ireland's most courageous journalists. While many in the media avoided naming or even hinting at the identities of Dublin's criminal figures, Guerin went further. She didn't just allude - she investigated, reported, and exposed. Using her disarming charm and sharp intellect, she infiltrated the world of drug barons and gangland bosses, attending court hearings, knocking on doors in inner-city housing estates, and confronting major players face-to-face. Her work put her in grave danger. In 1995, she was shot in the leg after answering her front door. Her home was routinely watched. Her phone rang with anonymous threats. But she refused to back down. One of the men her work repeatedly targeted was John Gilligan, a ruthless drug trafficker who had risen through the ranks to become one of Ireland's most feared gangland figures. Guerin was on the brink of publishing an exposé linking Gilligan directly to his vast drug enterprise when she was murdered. Gilligan was subsequently charged with Veronica's murder but acquitted. Meehan, now greying and in his late 50s, with a beard, was given a life sentence on his conviction in 1999. He was the getaway driver of the Kawasaki motorbike, and a second man, the late Patrick 'Dutchy' Holland, pulled the trigger. Holland was never charged with Ms Guerin's murder due to lack of evidence, but gardaí named him in a subsequent drugs court case as the man who pulled the trigger. Holland denied it up until his death in an English prison at 70 years of age in 2009. Earlier this year, Meehan was moved to an 'independent living unit' on the grounds of Shelton Abbey Prison in Co Wicklow, and enjoys day releases, ahead of a potential full release from jail. As our exclusive photograph shows, he has also been allowed out of the open prison to attend training courses as well as for social meetings, and visited the home of his elderly parents last week. Meehan who was seen with grey hair, in his late 50s, sporting a beard, was given a life sentence on his conviction in 1999 The move into an independent living unit is seen as another step closer to freedom for Meehan, who has enjoyed playing golf since entering Shelton Abbey in 2021. In 2017, Meehan lost a final appeal to overturn his conviction. Meehan's case is believed to be coming before the Irish Parole Board soon, and Ms Guerin's brother Jimmy was asked if he wanted to make a statement, but declined. Mr Guerin, who is an independent councillor on Fingal County Council, told the Sunday Independent in May that he 'didn't want to get into that process'. 'We went through this two years ago,' he said. 'The Parole Board considered Brian Meehan's release and it was declined. 'He still has to go before the Parole Board again. I have never submitted a statement to them before and I won't. It is a matter for them whether he is deemed eligible for release under licence, as a convicted murderer.' He said the family's situation would be no different from other relatives bereaved by murderers. 'His possible release is something I have no control over. 'In a way, it would be no more difficult than when John Gilligan was released [on drug trafficking charges in 2013]. 'My sister will be dead 30 years next year. Every time there is a serious crime, her name is brought up, so there are constant reminders.' The public reaction to Guerin's killing was instant and furious. More than 1,000 people attended her funeral. The Irish government, facing immense pressure, enacted emergency legislation to strengthen the powers of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), a newly formed agency designed to strip criminals of their ill-gotten wealth. Homes, cars, racehorses, and foreign bank accounts linked to Gilligan and his associates were frozen or seized. The State finally turned its full force against organised crime. In the months that followed, the Gardaí (Irish police) launched Operation Oak, a massive investigation into Guerin's murder and the activities of the Gilligan gang. A breakthrough came when Gardaí found the abandoned motorbike used in the assassination. Forensic evidence linked the bike to Meehan. Meehan, a small-time criminal turned trusted hitman, was a key enforcer in Gilligan's gang. He was known for his aggression and loyalty—qualities that, in the brutal calculus of gangland life, made him an ideal candidate for such a hit. He had previously worked as a car thief and getaway driver and had been involved in countless acts of intimidation and violence on behalf of the gang.
Telegraph
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Horse racing tips: Sunday, July 6
Harry Reynolds' selections NAP: Dodge City (2.20, Ayr) 1pt win @ SP with Betfred ⭐⭐⭐ Other: Cracker Star (4.05, Ayr) 1pt win @ SP with Betfred ⭐⭐ Odds provided by Betfred and correct at the time of writing. Stars denote strength of selection (max 5). If you already have a Betfred account and are looking for a new bookmaker to use for this week's racing, check out more free bets from the best betting sites, reviewed by our experts. 2.20 Ayr – Class 5 Maiden Stakes (6f) DODGE CITY (NAP) made his debut in undoubtedly the hottest maiden of the season at Newbury in May. Six horses from that race have gone on to score since – including Humidity, the subsequent winner of the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot – while several have placed. Despite finishing 12th that day, Dodge City was three lengths in front of Do Or Do Not, who was runner-up in the Coventry Stakes at the Royal meeting. He looked to have bumped into another smart one when third on his next start, which was a decent improvement on his first appearance. Brian Meehan's charge is taken to make it third time lucky at Ayr in what looks a very nice race for the grade. Selection: Dodge City (2.20, Ayr) 1pt win @ SP with Betfred 4.05 Ayr – Class 4 Handicap (1m2f) CRACKER STAR returns to the Flat following an unsuccessful stint over hurdles and he should be fresh enough following three months off. The son of Cracksman has now joined Ewan Whillans' in-form yard, which is operating at a 25 per cent strike-rate over the past two weeks. Making a case that Cracker Star is incredibly well handicapped off a mark of 73 is not difficult at all. He's been raised just 2lb for a short-head victory at Bath last June, but it's the run before that which makes most appeal. Last May, Cracker Star chased home future Chester Cup winner and Triumph Hurdle third East India Dock at Salisbury, and two of the three horses he finished in front of while conceding weight are now rated 86 and 92. It's a competitive field, but Cracker Star looks to have a solid chance. Selection: Cracker Star (4.05, Ayr) 1pt win @ SP with Betfred Today's UK and Irish racing (Flat unless stated) Ayr 1.45-5.15 Market Rasen (NH) 2.00-5.30 What does NAP mean? NAP is a word used in betting circles to describe a prediction that a tipster thinks has a particularly strong chance of winning. Many horse racing tipsters pick out a 'NAP of the day', which is their favoured selection from all the races across the different meetings. The term NAP derives from the French card game Napoleon. When players of this game thought they had a particularly strong hand that they would win with, they would shout 'Napoleon'. What is an each-way bet? An each-way bet is a popular type of wager, particularly with horse racing fans. It is essentially two bets, both of which have the same size stake. An each-way bet features one bet on the selection to win and the other bet on the selection to place. So a £10 each-way bet will cost you a total of £20. There will be one £10 bet on the selection to win and another £10 on the selection to place. It's a popular bet because it offers punters the chance of a return, even if the horse in question fails to win. Bookmakers will pay out at a stated percentage of the odds for a place finish, for example one-fifth of the starting price (SP) for finishing in the first three. The more runners there are in a horse race, the more places will be on offer. In races that feature lots of runners, the horses will be available at bigger odds, making an each-way bet a wise choice. If you're looking for casino bonuses, we've ranked UK welcome offers Star ratings explained ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - confident selection ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - strong fancy ⭐⭐⭐ - fair claims ⭐⭐ - tentative choice ⭐ - minimum confidence If you want to find more odds and offers, take a look at our list of the best betting sites and free bets Check out our list of the best casino bonuses in the UK
Spectator
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Spectator
Four bets for Royal Ascot next week
Royal Ascot gets me more excited than the weekend racing fare so I am going to put up four horses who could well go off shorter when they line up for their respective targets next week. First up in RASHABAR in the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes on Tuesday (4.20 p.m.). Brian Meehan's three-year-old colt caused an upset at this meeting a year ago when landing the Coventry Stakes at odds of no less than 80-1. Admittedly, next week he has to take on arguably the best horse in training in the form of Field of Gold but this race might just cut up to less than eight runners by the off, in which case the current three places would be attractive. For starters, the likes of Shadow of Light and Jonquil are more likely to run instead in the Commonwealth Cup and I suspect there may be one or two other defections amongst the 11 runners who accepted earlier this week.
The Irish Sun
11-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
He never showed remorse for brutal murder of my sister, says Veronica Guerin's brother as killer plots fresh freedom bid
KILLER Brian 'Tosser' Meehan will discover over the coming weeks if he's to be released from prison. 4 Brian Meehan has launched a fresh bid for freedom Credit: 4 He is the only person convicted over the 1996 murder of journalist Veronica Guerin Credit: 4 Veronica was shot and killed in her car on the Naas Road Credit: Photocall Ireland The killer — who was a key member of mob boss Once he appears before the hearing, a decision will then be made on his request to be released from the His latest appearance before the parole board comes after his last attempt for freedom in 2023 ended in failure. Veronica's brother Jimmy has been notified of Meehan's hearing. READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS He told us: 'I can confirm I have received a phone call about Brian Meehan's parole hearing in the coming weeks. "I am not aware of him ever showing any remorse for the brutal murder of my sister. "The evidence is that he is of the same ilk as John Gilligan." At present, Meehan, 57, is currently being held at Shelton Abbey Open Prison in Co Most read in The Irish Sun Fears over his release emerged over the weekend after he moved into a single-occupancy living unit in the jail. He moved into the facility — used by inmates ahead of their full release — after we revealed last December how he had enjoyed secret meetings with his CURRENT LOCATION Since moving to the open prison in 2021, the callous killer, who was driving the motorbike when the brave journalist and mother was shot dead by hitman Patrick 'Dutchy' Holland on As part of our latest revelations on one of Ireland's most notorious gangland criminals, we also spoke to a former Speaking for the first time about his interactions with Meehan, retired Supt Fergus Treanor described the "I am not aware of him ever showing any remorse for the brutal murder of my sister." Jimmy Guerin The former senior officer added: 'Brian Meehan is a career criminal who was a key figure in a very violent criminal organisation. 'He has contested the legal process at every stage and never accepted his role as the person who drove the motorbike when a journalist and mother was brutally murdered. I think his links to serious criminality will always be of concern because he doesn't know anything else. 'When we were interviewing him I remember him as being very cold with little regard for people. 'He still has connections to organised crime so it won't be difficult for him to enter this world again.' 'RUTHLESS CRIMINAL' And Mr Treanor also spoke about Russell Warren, who testified against Meehan at his trial in 1999 and is now in the Witness Protection Programme. Mr Treanor added: 'We still have people in the Witness Protection Programme connected to this case and they will no doubt be notified of any possible release. 'He continues to deny involvement in the murder to this day and will always be a ruthless criminal.' Meehan is the last remaining member of Gilligan's despised gang who remains behind bars. The pair fell out after Gilligan told a 4 Veronica's brother Jimmy has been notified of Meehan's hearing Credit: Chris Doyle
