Two Irish men have been jailed for the killing of a British ex-pat at his home on the Costa del Sol.
A jury in Malaga this week returned a guilty verdict in the trial of Brian McConville and Wayne Lennon, who were accused of murdering Paul Feathers at his Costa del Sol flat.
The pair went on the run after slaying the Brit expat on April 21, in 2010. Spanish state prosecutors announced in February they would be seeking 20-year prison sentences for Dubliners McConville (30, below) and Lennon (38).
However, their charge was downgraded from murder to homicide, a crime which carries a lesser sentence.
They were sentenced to 11 years each for the killing.
Indictments submitted to a criminal court in Malaga claimed the pair stabbed their alleged victim 44 times in the back during a brutal, hour-long attack as he lay bleeding on the floor after being knifed in the neck. They also kicked and punched their victim before stabbing him dozens of time in the neck, arms and legs.
It was claimed the head injuries he sustained during the attack led to brain injuries, and subsequently to his death.
Court documents also alleged they stole a mobile phone from Feathers’ flat in Benalmadena before leaving him unconscious in a pool of blood.
Prosecution documents claim: “When the victim was in a bad way but still alive, they jabbed him 44 times in the back with the knife, as well as cutting him several times in the back and legs, thereby increasing consciously and deliberately his physical pain and mental suffering.”
The court heard the row began after a failed drug deal. Feathers was attacked by the Dubliners after they blamed him for the loss of a vehicle that was to be used in the transportation of illegal substances.
His girlfriend, who unwittingly opened the door to the two men who were wearing balaclavas, identified his attackers.
Gardai said two guns were discovered during the planned raid in Athlone A man in his 20s and an 18-year-old girl have been arrested by Gardai investigating the discovery of two firearms and drugs found a house during a planned raid.
Gardai this morning conducted an operation to combat the sale and supply of controlled drugs in the Athlone area.
The operation involved the search of two houses in Goldsmith View, Athlone town, a Garda spokesperson said.
During the course of the searches, Gardai recovered a quantity of cannabis herb and cannabis resin with a street value of up to €10,000, pending analysis, along with additional drug paraphernalia.
Two firearms - pending technical examination - were also recovered in this search.
A 24-year-old male and an 18-year-old female were subsequently arrested following the planned raid.
Phishing: Car owners are having their keys stolen through their letterboxes A special operation called Operation Waste has seen over 50 vehicles destined to be exported confiscated by Gardai in the last 18 months.
Operation Waste - a joint venture by Dublin Metropolitan Region Garda Traffic Divisionand Dublin City Council’s Waste Management Team - was established to combat the use of public roads by uninsured, untested and dangerously loaded vehicles arriving at Dublin Port, destined for export to West Africa.
Since its inception in September 2014, the operation has seen over 50 vehicles including cars and articulated trucks detained for either no insurance or no certificate of road-worthiness.
Three stolen vehicles including an Audi Q7, a Toyota Avensis and a Mercedes Benz S350 have been recovered before they could be exported, Gardai said.
Also utilising ANPR technology Gardai have recovered a further 11 stolen vehicles parked in communal areas of housing and industrial estates, where it is believed they were being prepared for export.
"The majority of these vehicles had been stolen during the course of burglaries or the keys had been fished out through the letterbox of homes", a Garda spokesperson said.
"As a result we wish to advise all home owners that cars keys should be stored in a safe and secure place in the home and away a safe distance from Front Door letter box’s to avoid their phishing out by thieves and burglars."
Gardai make series of raids in connection with Romanian organised crime group
Gardai carried out a number of raids in Dublin’s north inner city, as well as Balbriggan, Donabate and Blanchardstown as part of an investigation into Romanian organised criminal groups.
The gangs are believed to have been involved in a number of aggravated burglaries of jewellery shops throughout the country, during the course of which staff members were assaulted.
A total of five men have been detained under the provisions of Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007.
They are all aged in their mid-thirties and are detained at a number of North Dublin Garda Stations.
