Feared city gangsters in tit-for-tat feud over woman.
BY KEN FOY CRIME CORRESPONDENT – 14 FEBRUARY 2014 02:30 AM
A gangland feud has broken out in north Dublin between two criminals over a young woman.
The dispute centres on exiled crimelord Paschal Kelly and a drug-dealing rival, the Herald has learned.
Sources say that Kelly (48) has issued death threats from his hideaway in Spain's Costa-Del-Crime against the other man and has also ordered his gang members to carry out surveillance.
The car of a woman connected to Kelly's rival has been burnt out in recent weeks and, in a revenge attack, the home of a female relative of Kelly's was smashed up in the Edenmore estate in Raheny.
Neither of the women has any involvement in the feud and were singled out as "easy targets".
Sources say that Kelly has stepped up a campaign of intimidation against his rival who is believed to be refusing to back down in the tit-for-tat row.
Kelly's rival has links to a Coolock criminal who is on the run after being charged in relation to a 2011 drug-linked killing in Dublin's north inner city.
A source said: "This could get really messy. Kelly is at the top of the crime food chain, but no one is backing down here.
"What's causing concern is that innocent women are being dragged into a very complicated, deep-rooted feud."
On-the-run Kelly (48) is a member of the gang gardai believe killed Real IRA chief Alan Ryan.
This month his Co Cavan home was seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau.
He bought the bungalow in 2004 for €190,000 but it is now estimated to worth between €250,000 and €275,000.
Kelly, who is involved in a number of brutal gangland and personal feuds, has been described in court as having links to a tiger-kidnapping gang.
The Herald has learned he has been hiding in Spain since getting bail in the North last October, where he was facing money laundering charges.
Sources say he ripped up electronic tags placed on him and used a disguise to flee.
Kelly's girlfriend has not been seen at her Co Dublin home for months. She is believed to have joined him in Spain.
