Claims of Keane Mulready-Woods murder video on smuggled phone sparks prison search

This week, prison staff reacted to claims that a video was being shared by inmates on the wing which houses a number of high-profile gangland criminals, said sources.

Officers began the search on the jail’s C Wing, where Paul Crosby is serving a 10-year-sentence for bringing the teenager to the Drogheda house where he was killed.

The 17-year-old, murdered by slain mobster Robbie Lawlor, was then dismembered and his remains left in different locations in a bid to terrorise rivals from the Price-Maguire gang.

A number of videos and photographs purporting to be of the killing have circulated since 2020 but have been shown to be fakes or are of other unrelated incidents elsewhere in the world.

While a number of phones were found during the jail search, none had any video material relating to the 2020 murder.

Crosby has previously been convicted of possessing mobile phones while serving time in prison for a different offence.

Other inmates on the wing include Kinahan Cartel figure and CAB target Barry Fowler, who is serving a six-year sentence for possession of cannabis.

Matthew Bell, who is serving nine years for his part in facilitating the murder of John Gibson in 2017, is also on the same wing.

In the weeks after the Mulready-Woods murder it was reported how family members were sent images and videos purporting to depict the teenager’s killing and dismemberment.

Gardai at the time said they believed the majority of videos and images circulating on social media are fakes.

Officers also appealed to the public to stop sharing the extremely graphic images and videos purporting to show the teenager’s murder and dismembered corpse.

“They are distressing to Keane’s family and if verified are disrespectful images of the deceased and provide false support to the perpetrators of this brutal crime,” a spokesman said.

One video is believed to have been that of an attack on teenager in Dublin who lost a finger.

Gardai investigating the murder had to take seriously the prospect the murder was filmed to allow Robbie Lawlor use the footage to intimidate rivals.

Two weeks ago Paul Crosby was handed down a 10-year sentence, while his co-accused Gerard Cruise was given seven years in prison by the Special Criminal Court.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said it was a “heinous and appalling crime” and the victim’s remains were treated in a “disgraceful and inhuman way that beggars belief”.

He expressed the court’s condolences to the family, saying it was “painful and unnatural” for any parent to lose a child, particularly when it comes about by murder.