Dangerous young crim ‘person of interest’ in Offaly double murder of boy, 4, & grandaunt as new suspect details emerge
Politicians told how they are regularly contacted by families struggling to deal with drug debt intimidation, with criminal gangs getting ‘more audacious’ in their tactics, according to one TD
A DANGEROUS criminal previously arrested over a foiled petrol bomb attack is a ‘person of interest’ in the double murder of a boy and his grandaunt.
Little Tadhg Farrell, four, and Mary Holt, 60, were killed in the arson attack on the home in Castleview Park, Edenderry, Co Offaly on Saturday evening, which also left the child’s granny Pauline in serious condition in hospital.
The Irish Sun has learned that Gardai have established the two men who carried out the attack travelled to and fled the scene in a Kia car.
Detectives are trawling CCTV as they trace the movements of the vehicle while investigating multiple lines of inquiry.
But sources have insisted no exact theory has been confirmed as a motive for the incident.
Both Mary and Pauline Holt had no involvement in crime. However, Gardai suspect the incident is linked to a male relative in his late 20s who is currently in prison for drug offences.
Although this man was involved in a minor row with a rival in the Midlands Prison a day before the horror petrol bomb attack, Gardai have yet to uncover any evidence that it is linked to that but it remains a line of inquiry.
Cops believe it may be linked to a wider dispute by a drug gang in the Midlands.
The gang, which operates in Kildare and Offaly, are well-known to cops for intimidation and arson attacks.
The Irish Sun has also learned an associate of the mob, who was previously caught with a number of petrol bombs and is a relative of a senior member of the criminal group, has been identified as a ‘person of interest’.
A source told The Irish Sun: “This individual is a person Gardai are looking at, as well as other associates who are connected to a wider group of criminals who are very dangerous and often reckless.
“But even though they are of interest, Gardai are very much at the intensive evidence-gathering stage. There is a lot of work to go in here and no core motive has been established here yet.”
The double murder probe is being led by detectives at Tullamore Garda Station, who successfully investigated the murders of schoolteacher Ashling Murphy in 2022 and Laura Woodnutt in 2023.
Detectives from the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation are now involved too.
Funeral details for Tadhg and Mary have yet to be confirmed.
Tadhg’s devastated mother, who lives locally, is being supported by loved ones.
‘AUDACIOUS’ GANGS
Meanwhile, politicians told how they are regularly contacted by families struggling to deal with drug debt intimidation, with criminal gangs getting “more audacious” in their tactics, according to one TD.
Dublin Central’s Marie Sherlock said: “It is getting more violent and these gangs are getting more audacious in terms of the intimidation that is happening.
“While efforts have been made by the State in terms of supporting drug-related intimidation projects, we know they are a drop in the ocean in terms of what needs to happen and we need much greater resources going into Gardai and into those projects.”
Social Democrats justice spokesman Gary Gannon claimed the issue of drug debt intimidation has never been worse, as he urged the Justice Minister to give Gardai the power to “smash these gangs”.
He said: “Drug-related intimidation and drug-related coercion of children into the sale of drugs is an absolute pandemic in this country at the moment. It is destroying lives.
“My message is one that is simple. I am asking the Minister for Justice to take this issue seriously and smash these gangs that are terrorising communities across the length and breadth of this country.”
