Convicted criminal Paul Cullen was shot three times in the head in front of his own father for daring to cross one of Ireland’s most deadly gangs, gardai believe.
Sources told The Star that gardai suspect Paul Cullen — who was officially warned that his life was at risk just a few months ago — was shot dead by members of the gang formerly controlled by Eamonn “The Don” Dunne.
Although Dunne (34) was himself killed in April 2010, his gang still has a stranglehold over Cabra, north Dublin — where Cullen (25) was shot dead on Sunday night.
And sources have told The Star that gardai believe former associates of Dunne killed Cullen because he was trying to set up his own drugs scam in the area.
One source said: “Dunne’s gang are the major players in Cabra and they could not let Cullen muscle in on their operation.
“They are the main focus of the inquiry.”
Cullen was an associate of Dunne until he was locked up in February 2008 after he was caught minding €56,000 worth of cannabis resin for the mobster’s gang.
Once he got out of prison in June last year — after also serving a jail term for attacking two unarmed gardai — he made efforts to set up his own drugs operation in Cabra.
But former associates of Dunne refused to yield to him and tried to murder Cullen in July last year.
A gunman attacked the father-of-one as he approached a house in Cabra — but the gun jammed and he was able to escape.
He was then given a so-called GIM — or Garda Information Message — warning him that detectives had information that his life was still at risk.
And the gang finally caught up with Cullen on Sunday evening as he enjoyed a pint with his father, Paul McCann, and other family members in the Cabra House Pub — close to his Fassaugh Avenue home.
A lone gunman calmly walked into the pub at 7pm, singled out Cullen and shot him six times — including three times in the head.
Punters threw missiles at the gunman as he walked out of the pub — but he still managed to escape.
Gardai and paramedics rushed to the pub, but Cullen died at the scene.
Garda press officer, Superintendent David Taylor, described the capital’s latest gangland-style attack as a callous and brutal murder of a young man in a public place.
“There were a number of people in the pub at the time and, as you can imagine, when we got there it was a pretty chaotic scene and people were obviously fleeing for their own safety,” Supt Taylor continued.
“So we are asking anyone who may have been in the pub at the time, or in the hours beforehand, to come forward.”
The senior garda revealed that members of the Cullen family were among about 20 customers in the bar on Fassaugh Avenue, off the Navan Road, and were traumatised by the shooting.
“It was pretty traumatic to witness such a callous and brutal murder,” Supt Taylor said.
Deputy State Pathologist Khalid Jabbar carried out a post-mortem on the remains last night, while forensic officers continued to examine the scene, where flowers have been left with a card reading “You’ll never walk alone”.
Detectives were also trawling through CCTV from in and around the bar to piece together the movements of the motorbike used as the getaway vehicle.
They appealed to motorists and pedestrians who saw a medium-sized bike being driven erratically from the bar, which is also known as the Oasis, to try and establish what route it took through evening traffic.
Anyone who has since seen a motorbike being dumped is also urged to contact gardai in Cabra.
The victim was known to gardai and was previously connected with a gang run by Dunne, who was shot dead in the nearby Fassaugh House Pub in April 2010.
In February 2008 Cullen was sentenced to six years for storing almost €56,000 of cannabis resin in his home to clear drug debts — as he was in fear of his life after receiving a bullet in the post.
While awaiting sentence, Cullen and a relative were arrested for assaulting a female garda, whom he kicked in the stomach.
He was later jailed for three years, with the last 18 months suspended, to run consecutive to the six-year sentence.
