A BRAVE solicitor previously threatened by convicted Kinahan cartel gang member Alan Wilson said last night: “I will always be in fear of him.”
Herbert Kilcline was speaking after the 40-year-old received a six-year prison sentence at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin on Monday over his involvement in a plot to kill Gary Hanley.
At his hearing at the court two weeks ago, a letter was read to the hearing from Wilson expressing regret for helping to direct the murder bid.
The former carer — who was part of a hit team that included his cousin Luke Wilson and pal Joseph Kelly — received the sentence on Monday after he pleaded guilty to conspiring to kill the Dublin man between September 15 and November 6, 2017.
Before he was recruited by the Kinahan cartel to wage war on Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch and anyone identified as his associates, Wilson issued threats to Mr Kilcline and others who made statements against him when he was charged with the killing of Romanian teen Marioara Rostas.
Although Wilson, who was viciously attacked in prison last month, was later cleared of the 2008 murder, the civil law specialist believes he will always be a target.
‘I DON’T WANT TO LIVE IN FEAR FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE’
Mr Kilcline said: “He played a central role in trying to kill another human being and yet he only gets six years. People get longer sentences for burglary.
“He apologised to the court for his actions and I can only hope he’s now reformed for my sake because I don’t want to live in fear for the rest of my life.
“Wilson was working for the most dangerous criminal gang in the country and I think if he had succeeded in his plan he would have had the money to pay people to come after me.
“When he was around in the months before he was caught he didn’t come near me but I still received an official warning from the Gardai that my life was under threat.
“It’s good news for the people of Ireland that he’s off the streets but he could quite easily have received the maximum sentence of ten years because he was directing two other men to murder a man at his home.
“I doubt any other criminal gang will employ him after he gets out because he was caught but I will still have anxiety and will be looking over my shoulder. He’s just a nobody now because people in prison aren’t afraid to attack him and this would never have happened a few years ago.”
‘INTIMIDATED A LOT OF PEOPLE’
Mr Kilcline also told of his fears for those who have been threatened by Wilson.
He added: “I have sympathy for others who were once close to him but soon found themselves being bullied by him.
“Alan has intimidated a lot of people who he believes have crossed him over the years.
“There are a lot of people out there who have been threatened and they will certainly welcome the fact that he’s now behind bars.”
Although Wilson is now off the streets, gardai believe there are still young hoods working for the Kinahan cartel.
However investigators have also vowed to crack down on the gangs operating in Blanchardstown, Finglas and Coolock.
The civil lawyer spoke to us after investigators from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau foiled another gangland hit in the early hours of yesterday morning.
THUGS ON WAY TO MURDER RIVAL
During yesterday’s operation, officers arrested two men and recovered a revolver and a pistol after stopping a car in the Kilmore area of Coolock in north Dublin.
The Irish Sun can reveal the men are associates of Sean Little, who was shot dead in north Dublin on May 22.
Detectives believe the men — who have links to the drugs trade and the stolen motor vehicle trade in north Dublin— were on their way to murder a rival.
One of the suspects was also linked to a number of shooting incidents in the north in recent weeks.
Officers are also probing if the planned hit was in retaliation for Little’s killing. One theory is that the suspects were targeting a major gangster in the Coolock area who has links to Mr Flashy.
A source said: “Tensions remain high in the Coolock area and there are a lot of people under threat.
“There is a lot of paranoia out there with different people being blamed for Little’s murder.”
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Although eight members of the cartel are now behind bars over their decision to work for Daniel Kinahan’s mob, Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll has vowed to continue the fight against Ireland’s feuding crime gangs.
The senior officer said: “The ultimate aim is to dismantle these criminal groups and that includes those people who direct these groups from overseas. Our pursuit of those involved in organised crime will be relentless.”
Latest statistics show that €158million worth of drugs have been seized by the Gardai since 2015, 651 arrests made, 101 firearms recovered, 3,300 rounds of ammunition recovered and €9.8million in cash has been seized.