Fifth man appears in court charged over Dublin murder plot

A fifth man has been charged with conspiracy to murder a Dublin man.

Dean Howe was remanded in custody on Wednesday after he was accused of conspiracy to murder Gary Hanley, from Dublin's north inner city.

Mr Howe (34), with an address at Oakfield Place, Dublin 8 was arrested by detectives from the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. He was charged at Irishtown Garda station on Tuesday night and brought before Judge Bryan Smyth at Dublin District Court on Wednesday morning.

He was charged with an offence under Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. He was accused of conspiring with others to murder Mr Hanley at a location within the State between September 15th and November 6th, 2017.

Dressed in a light green striped tracksuit and runners, he stood silently throughout the brief hearing. He has not yet indicated how he will plead.

Detective Garda Brian McDermott told Judge Smyth the defendant made no reply when charged. There was an application for a remand in custody.

Defence solicitor Edward Bradbury told the court there was no application for bail at this stage and his client was consenting to a remand in custody for one week.

In a legal aid application, the solicitor said Mr Howe was unemployed. There was no Garda objection to legal aid which was then granted.

Judge Smyth remanded Mr Howe in custody to appear via video-link on May 22nd next at Cloverhill District Court.

He was the fifth person to be charged in connection with the alleged plot.

In November last year Luke Wilson (23), from Cremona Road in Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, was jailed by the Special Criminal Court for 11 years after he admitted conspiring to murder Mr Hanley.

Alan Wilson (39) of New Street Gardens, Dublin 8; Liam Brannigan (37) from Bride Street, Dublin 8; and Joseph Kelly (35) of Kilworth Road, Drimnagh, Dublin 12 were also charged previously with conspiring to murder Mr Hanley.

Mr Kelly is also facing charges of the possession of a Beretta handgun and 15 rounds of ammunition with intent to endanger life at Philipsburgh Avenue, Fairview, Dublin 3 on November 6th, 2017.

A trial date for Alan Wilson, Mr Brannigan and Mr Kelly has been set for October 7th, 2019.