File on murder of Hutch-Kinahan feud victim James Molyneux sent to DPP, inquest hears

Dublin District Coroner’s Court was informed that the Garda investigation into the murder of James Molyneux (27) in Dublin’s north inner city on January 30, 2018 was complete and a file was being prepared to seek direction from the DPP on whether a criminal prosecution should follow.

Inspector Deirdre Conway from Store Street Garda Station sought an adjournment of the inquest into Molyneux’s death for six months under the Coroners Act as criminal proceedings are under consideration.

The coroner, Dr Clare Keane, granted the application and adjourned the case until the end of November.

Molyneux, who had the nickname “Buda”, was a known associate of the Hutch criminal gang which became involved in a bloody feud following the murder of a leading member of the Kinahan cartel, David Byrne, in a daring attack at the Regency Hotel in Whitehall in February 2016.

The Regency Hotel shooting was seen as revenge for the murder of Gary Hutch in Spain in 2015 and sparked a violent feud that has claimed the lives of at least 18 people.

A preliminary hearing of the inquest in May 2018 heard the victim was shot six times in the chest and stomach by a lone gunman who fled the scene after he went to meet someone at James Larkin House flats complex off the North Strand on the evening of January 30, 2018.

He was rushed to the Mater Hospital but pronounced dead there a short time later.

The father of one from North William Street in Dublin’s north inner city was known to gardaí for his involvement in serious and organised crime and had over 120 convictions.

The shooting occurred on the day before the funeral of Molyneux’s close friend, Derek Coakley Hutch, who was another victim of the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud.

Molyneux had just returned from the wake of Hutch who had been shot 10 days earlier.

His mother, Elizabeth Molyneux, broke down in the witness box as she recalled formally identifying her son’s body to gardaí.

A post-mortem confirmed that he had died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.

A Renault van believed to be used by the assailant was discovered near the Tom Clarke Bridge near Ringsend. Although attempts were made to set the vehicle on fire, gardaí quickly arrived on the scene and are believed to have recovered some forensic evidence.

A member of the rival Kinahan criminal gang, who is serving a prison sentence in Mountjoy Prison, was arrested and questioned in relation to the murder last summer.

The coroner’s court heard that gardaí are also awaiting directions from the DPP in relation to the death of another gangland victim, Zach Parker, who was fatally shot in Dublin in 2019.

Parker (23), a convicted drug dealer and associate of the criminal gang headed by a Finglas-based criminal known as “Mr Flashy” was killed in a gun attack on his parked car outside a gym in Applewood Close in Swords, Co Dublin on January 17, 2019.

Dr Keane granted an application by gardaí for the case to be adjourned until a date in August.

The coroner also agreed to fix a date for a full inquest into the death of another murder victim, John Lawless, in north Dublin four years ago after hearing gardaí had completed their investigation without a file being sent to the DPP.

Inspector Oliver Woods told the court that gardaí were seeking a date for a hearing of the inquest as the case “cannot be progressed any more.”

Lawless (39) a father of three, had just left his home to go to work on the morning of February 8, 2019 when he was shot as he was walking along Marigold Road, Darndale.

Gardaí did not believe the fatal shooting had any connection to any gangland feud and the victim was not known to gardaí for involvement in serious criminal activity.

An inquest into the death of a young Dublin mother of two, Amadea McDermott (27) at her home in Rathvale Drive, Ayrfield, Cooklock on July 20, 2017 was adjourned after the coroner’s court heard that a person is due before the courts shortly in relation to the case.

Construction worker, Martin Hayes (32) of Poddle Close, Crumlin – the victim’s former partner – was charged in April with Ms McDermott’s murder.