Four men involved in the conspiracy to murder Irish gangster Wayne Whelan were sentenced Thursday to a total of 33 years in jail.
Wayne, a convicted criminal from Rowlagh in Clondalkin, survived the murder attempt by the four men in September 2019. He was eventually shot dead in another attack in November 2019 and the car was set on fire.
The court sentenced Wayne Ryan,41, from Longford, Cailean Crawford, 25, from Ballyfermot, Darren Henderson, 31, from Ballyfermotand, Charles McClean, 32, from Clondalkin, Thursday, after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder the victim while he was outside his house on Sept. 4, 2019.
Justice Michael White said he was “shocked by the callous indifference” shown by the men involved in the plot. He said the four men “planned, cold-blooded attack in broad daylight.”
All three suspects, except Wayne Ryan, pleaded guilty between May 15 and Nov. 15, 2019. However, Wayne Ryan entered the guilty plea early this year and is now sentenced to 15 years in jail.
The court observed that Darren and Cailean have given “significant logistical support” to the murder attempt while they were away from the crime scene. The court found Charles who had a previous business connection with the victim, to have a “substantial role in the conspiracy to murder.”
The court has ordered Charles to serve eight years in jail while Darren and Cailean to serve seven years terms with the final two years suspended.
Wayne Ryan had two previous convictions and was found to be one of the masked men who awaited in the van for attacking the victim. His sentencing is backdated to Oct 24th, 2019, when he was first taken into custody.