A senior figure in the Kinahan Organised Crime Group has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for directing criminal activities connected to the murder of one man and the attempted murder of another during the violent Kinahan-Hutch gang feud between 2015 and 2017.
Sean McGovern, 40, formerly of Kildare Road in Crumlin, played a key role in organising and overseeing attacks carried out on behalf of the Kinahan gang. During the feud, he described the conflict with the Hutch gang as "personal" and vowed to continue seeking revenge following the murder of gang associate David Byrne at Dublin’s Regency Hotel in February 2016.
The Special Criminal Court heard that McGovern was centrally involved in the murder of 62-year-old Noel Kirwan, who was shot dead outside his home in Clondalkin on 22 December 2016. Although Kirwan had no involvement in criminal activity, he was targeted because of his connection to the Hutch family. He had been photographed alongside Gerard Hutch at the funeral of Gerard’s brother, Eddie Hutch, who had also been killed during the feud.
Evidence presented to the court showed that McGovern managed and monitored a tracking device placed on Kirwan’s vehicle. His fingerprints were discovered on instructions for the tracker and on the laptop used to operate it. The court found that he altered the tracking settings and relayed Kirwan’s real-time movements to gunmen waiting to carry out the attack. He provided updates on the victim’s location and specific movements throughout the day of the murder.
McGovern was also convicted for directing the attempted murder of James Gately, a member of the Hutch gang. To facilitate the planned attack, tracking devices were secretly attached to vehicles belonging to Gately’s partner and sister. McGovern used encrypted PGP communication devices to coordinate surveillance activities, issue instructions to gang members and provide updates to senior Kinahan figures.
Mr Justice Patrick McGrath described the plot against Gately as meticulously planned and organised. Although the attack was ultimately unsuccessful, the judge noted that this was due to Garda intervention rather than any decision by McGovern or his associates.
The court heard that McGovern operated as a trusted senior lieutenant within the Kinahan organisation. While he was not among the gang’s highest-ranking leaders, he was regarded as a key operative who received instructions from senior figures and directed others in carrying out violent crimes. The judge said McGovern was fully aware of the scale, structure and criminal nature of the organisation and played a significant role in its operations in Ireland.
Particularly damaging evidence included encrypted messages in which McGovern referred to Noel Kirwan as a “soft target” and suggested assigning a specific gunman to carry out the killing in order to restore the hitman’s confidence.
In sentencing, the court imposed a 10-year term for directing the attempted murder of James Gately and a 14-year sentence for his role in Noel Kirwan’s murder. Mr Justice McGrath ordered that the sentences be served consecutively, reflecting the seriousness and separate nature of the offences. This resulted in a total prison sentence of 24 years.
The judge emphasised the need to protect society from organised crime groups and to deter those who assist or participate in such activities.
