POLICE posing as gasmen shot a gunman from Dublin who was trying to carry out an underworld assassination during a long and bloody feud, the Old Bailey in London was told yesterday.
The hostilities had already resulted in other murders - and in May last year, plans were discussed to carry out three killings, possibly on the same night, the prosecution alleged.
Police learned that a contract killer, hired from Dublin, was in London planning for his part in the attack, said Mr Nigel Sweeney, prosecuting.
They began a major operation to thwart the alleged gunman, Mr Michael Boyle, who the court was told was a Garda informer. But they decided not to tell his intended target, Mr Anthony Brindle - "a member of a south London family well known to the police".
Cllr Roy Clark, Regional Coordinator of the South East Regional Crime Squad, believed telling the Brindles "would result in an escalation of violence", said Mr Sweeney.
"They would probably go into hiding and the danger would be put off until some later date, involving someone other than Boyle at a time when police were not in control."
"Given the bloody background to this feud, if Mr Brindle was informed, it would be a signal for a pre emptive strike."
Mr Boyle was kept under surveillance and two police marksmen were waiting inside a British Gas van when he arrived in a stolen van to carry out the attack.
They were expecting him to get out of the van to shoot his victim - when they planned to intervene and arrest him, alleged Mr Sweeney. "But Boyle had a different plan," he said. He removed a wing mirror, opened the driver's window and hid behind a makeshift curtain in the back of the van, with "a field of fire to shoot without getting out
Mr Boyle fired three bullets into Mr Brindle as he walked to his own car "and was intent on finishing him off" when the two officers emerged from their van and opened fire, said Mr Sweeney. "Fearing for Mr Brindle's life - and their own - they fired 14 shots at Boyle with their rifles " he added.
Five hit their target. Mr Boyle and Mr Brindle were taken to separate hospitals and survived.
Mr Boyle (48), from Inchicore, Dublin, denies attempting to murder Mr Brindle outside his home at Rotherhithe, south London on September 20th last year. He also denies possessing two high powered handguns with intent to endanger life.
The prosecution alleges he was armed by David Roads, said to have acted as quartermaster in the operation. Mr Roads (52), from Croydon, south London, has denied attempted murder and possession of firearms.
Mr Brindle was shot in the elbow, chest and thigh - but managed to run back to his house as he was chased by Boyle, who was carrying a Browning semiautomatic pistol. He in turn was shot in the chest, shoulder blades and elbow by the police fire.
The plan to murder Mr Brindle bore "all the hallmarks of a contract killing against a background of a long standing and bloody feud", said Mr Sweeney.
He described the feud between the Brindle family and others as a "long and complicated saga".
Boyle had been arrested in Dublin in February, 1995 and became a Garda informer under the name Pius O'Callaghan the court heard.
"He gave information to the police about a well known Dublin criminal, George Mitchell, and his associates. He said one of Mitchell's good friends was Peter Daly, who used to finance Mitchell's operations," said Mr Sweeney.
Daly was described as a London criminal.
"Boyle said Daly was having problems and there was trouble between him and a family called the Brindles. But he would not expand on what the problem was," said Mr Sweeney.
In May, Boyle told the Garda Mitchell had called a meeting to discuss the problems Daly was having in London with the Brindle family, he alleged.
"He said Peter Daly had asked him to go over and sort out the problems with the Brindles. It was proposed to send over people to London to do the job.
"Boyle said the Brindles had a gang from Northern Ireland on their side in the feud.
"Boyle told them that George Mitchell had asked him and two others to target members of the Brindle family," Mr Sweeney told the court.
Mr Brindle's brother, Patrick, had been selected for an attack. Another Brindle brother, George, was also a possible target.
"Boyle said he was going to England and he and two others had a target and three hits would possibly be done on the same night," said Mr Sweeney.
The Garda told Boyle to make an excuse not to go and they would report it to the English authorities.
"Boyle seemed surprised, taking the view it was not their patch," said Mr Sweeney.
Despite the warning from the Garda that he should withdraw from the plan, Boyle returned to London, the court was told.
The trial continues.