MR JOHN Kelly, who was shot dead in Dublin last Saturday night, was once described by a judge as a "serious criminal and a gang leader".
In a long criminal career he had once been shot in the hand by a detective, and had received a seven year sentence for attempted robbery. In recent months Mr Kelly, nicknamed "Mad John" by fellow criminals had been questioned by gardai in Dublin about serious crimes and he is believed to have been involved in drug dealing.
He was suspected of an armed raid on a Co Tipperary hotel five months ago, when a gang held the manager and his family captive for two hours before escaping with the contents of the safe.
Shortly before 9 p.m. on Saturday Mr Kelly (34) was watching television in a terrace house in Melrose Avenue Clondalkin with his girlfriend and another woman. Two children, aged nine and 11, were upstairs.
Two men walked up to the house. The key was in the front door. One man walked in without saying a word fired twice at Mr Kelly, fatally wounding him in the neck and upper body.
Neighbours said they heard two loud noises, like "bangers" or firecrackers. One who looked out saw two men running towards the adjacent Lindisfarne estate.
The house is close to the end of Melrose Avenue, which is linked to Lindisfarne Lawns by a narrow pedestrian lane. The killers escaped in a car from Lindisfarne estate.
The killer was described as 35 to 40 years old with close cut blond to red hair and a ruddy complexion. He was between 5 ft 5 ins and 5 ft 7 ins in height and of stocky build. He may have had a light moustache and have worn glasses. He was wearing denim jeans and a two tone shiny track suit top with a front zip.
Mr Kelly had been released from prison last June after serving a sentence for armed robbery.
In March 1990 he and an associate, Mr Kevin Lynch, attacked a man who was putting money into an AIB night safe in Tallaght. Mr Kelly was armed with a handgun, and when the two raiders were intercepted by detectives one shot Kelly in the hand, forcing him to release the weapon. On seeing this Mr Lynch who was armed with a loaded crossbow, drove off on their motorcycle but crashed. Both men were arrested.
In court the following October gardai said Mr Kelly was a "professional criminal" with a long list of convictions. Judge Gerard Buchanan described him as "a serious criminal and gang leader". Mr Kelly and his associate pleaded guilty to robbery of £4,912 in cash and £2,373 in cheques at the Tallaght bank. Mr Lynch was sentenced to three years and Mr Kelly to seven.
John Kelly was married with three children, but neighbours in Clondalkin said yesterday they understood his wife has been living in Britain for some time.
Yesterday gardai were conducting house to house inquiries in the two estates and trying to trace the owner of a white car seen in the area on Saturday night. Gardai said they did not know if it was linked to the shooting.