Gardaí braced for Kinahan-Hutch feud to reignite after killing

The latest victim of the Kinahan-Hutch feud may have been under surveillance by criminals for hours before he was gunned down in Co Kildare.

Clive Staunton, a 50-year-old widowed father of one, was fatally shot at about 9.15pm on Thursday outside his home in Leixlip. A street trader, he had been working outside the Republic of Ireland v Northern Ireland international soccer match at the Aviva Stadium earlier on Thursday night.

Gardaí are now braced for further violence because the killing of Mr Staunton, who was not involved in organised crime or feuding, has reignited tensions after a 10-month lull in killings.

His was the 19th murder in the feud in three years.

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Patrols are to be stepped up in Dublin’s north inner city and in suburbs such as Clontarf and Crumlin, as well as other areas where people regarded as feud targets reside.

Sources said the decision by the Kinahan gang to kill Mr Staunton is a reminder they still wanted to attack “soft targets” to upset and enrage members of the Hutch family and their associates.

“When one of these killings happens, it means fear grips anyone who is even loosely connected with these gang members. It’s about exerting that control over the other group,” said a source.

City stop-off

Gardaí are trying to establish if Mr Staunton was being watched at his stall at Beggars Bush close to the Aviva stadium.

They have established that on his way home to Leixlip, Mr Staunton stopped in the north inner city at the home of a family known to him, some of whom have become involved in the Kinahan-Hutch feud.

He later travelled on to his own house in the Glen Easton Way housing estate. He was shot at at least three times as he alighted from his Mercedes Sprinter van. As he fell on to the ground injured, he was shot at least twice more, including fatally to the head.

His killer was driven from the scene by an accomplice. A silver Volvo S40 car found burnt out in Manor Kilbride, just over 30km from the crime scene, is believed to have been used by the killers.