An attack on the mother of the man at the centre of a collapsed murder trial was not part of an abduction attempt, it emerged last night.
Gardaí in Limerick believe yesterday's assault on Mrs Margaret Keane was more likely an attempt to intimidate her as tensions continue to mount in a bitter gangland feud.
Mrs Keane is the mother of Mr Liam Keane (19) whose trial for murder collapsed in dramatic circumstances last week when six prosecution witnesses denied making statements to gardaí identifying him as the killer of Eric Leamy (19) in August 2001.
Mrs Keane's husband, Christy Keane, is serving 10 years in Portlaoise prison for drug-dealing and her brother-in-law, Kieran Keane, was shot dead last January.
Mrs Keane was attacked on the doorstep of her home in Singland Gardens, Limerick, minutes after returning from a night out with friends in the early hours of yesterday morning.
As she opened her front door shortly after 2 a.m., she was confronted by three masked men, who emerged from the shadows. A struggle ensued and her screams were heard by two friends who had just dropped her home in a taxi.
Moments later, the taxi and its occupants returned to the scene to help Mrs Keane who had received a number of bruises in the attack. After the alarm was raised her attackers ran off. A Garda patrol car which was in the area also came to her aid.
"This was a very traumatic experience for the victim, however we have no evidence to suggest that these men were armed or that they intended abducting her," a senior investigating officer said.
The three masked men escaped on foot and did not have a getaway vehicle, according to other Garda sources.
Mrs Keane, who was very shaken after the attack, was interviewed by gardaí yesterday. A man and a woman who were in the taxi with her were also interviewed by gardaí along with the taxi-driver.
Gardaí in Limerick are also investigating a shooting at a house in Moyross early yesterday morning. At least five shots were fired from an automatic weapon at a house in Delmege Park at 2.15 a.m. yesterday.
Gardaí have not ruled out a link between that shooting and the assault on Mrs Keane, although none of the key players involved in the ongoing feud lives at the house which was targeted by gunmen.
"None of the primary movers in this feud lives at the house which was shot at in Delmege Park," a Garda source said.
Three people are due to appear before Limerick District Court today on charges connected to the collapse of last week's murder trial at the Central Criminal Court.
Mr Roy Behan (24) and Ms Amanda McNamara (20) are charged with committing perjury while under oath as witnesses in the Mr Keane's trial.
Mr David Murphy (19) is charged with contempt of court after refusing to give evidence in the same trial.