Derek Dunne
Derek "Maradonna" Dunne was a former League of Ireland soccer player turned drug dealer.[1][2][3]
Early life
[edit | edit source]He grew up in Grenville Street, off Hill Street on the northside of Dublin in an area badly affected by heroin addiction.[3]
As a teenager he played for Belvedere F.C., then moved to St Patrick's Athletic F.C. for four years as well as Dublin Bus.[3] While playing for the latter teams he began selling heroin.[3] When officials at Dublin Bus heard allegations that he was dealing drugs, he was dropped by them.[3] A former manager at St Pat's was surprised at the allegations as Dunne had applied himself to soccer very well.[3]
Criminal career
[edit | edit source]In 1994 the North Central Divisional Drug Squad targeted him and a number of his close associates in an operation codenamed "Family Tree".[3] He was questioned several times but never charged.[3]
In 1995 he attacked and seriously assaulted a nephew of Gerry "the Monk" Hutch, leaving him in a coma and putting Dunne under a sentence of death.[3][1] Dunne paid £200,000 to the Monk to have the contract annulled.[1] He then set up a permanent base in Liverpool.[3]
In January 1996 he was arrested by police in Manchester following a joint operation with Gardaí and charged with conspiracy to smuggle heroin into Ireland.[3] The initial trial collapsed over publicity involving the murder of Veronica Guerin and the second trial found him not guilty.[3]
Private life
[edit | edit source]He was in a long-term relationship with the daughter of George Mitchell and they had a daughter.[3]
Death
[edit | edit source]On June 3, 2000 he was found outside his apartment in Amsterdam lying dead on the ground by Dutch police.[2] He was 33.[2][3] An Englishman was found seriously wounded and a Dutch man in handcuffs was found with a minor injury.[4] The Dutchman was an associate of Dunne's who was forced to help the Englishman and a Yugoslav find Dunne's home.[4] Dunne's girlfriend answered the door to them.[4] The newcomers had come to Dunne about a debt owned to the Yugoslav.[4] Shots were exchanged between the newcomers and Dunne in which the latter was fatally injured.[4]
A man from the former Yugoslavia confessed to shooting Derek Dunne, claiming self defence.[5] Dunne had been approached for debts because three English associates of Dunne owed debts to the Yugoslav and Dunne was asked to honour the debt.[5] Dunne had reacted angrily to their arrival, ordered them to leave and a gun battle broke out.[5]
References
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