A man and his stepson have been sentenced for their roles in the murder of a member of a rival motorcycle club in Limerick two years ago.
Alan McNamara from Mountfune in Murroe, Co Limerick has been handed the mandatory life sentence for shooting Andrew O'Donoghue as part of an apparent turf-war in June 2015.
His stepson, 28-year-old Robert Cusack, was jailed for four-and-a-half years for disposing of the murder weapon.
Man (28) jailed for 4.5 years for hiding shotgun used by his stepfather to murder member of rival motorcycle club in Co. Limerick
— Frank Greaney (@FrankGreaney) October 27, 2017
The murder took place a day after McNamara - a member of the Caballeros club - was allegedly assaulted outside a pub by three members of the Road Tramps motorcycle club
Following the incident, he made his way to their clubhouse and shot Andrew O’Donoghue in the head.
Hard-working family man
In a victim impact statement read out on behalf of Mr O'Donoghue's two brothers, they described him as a hard-working family man who adored his daughter, was well liked and respected by his peers and was the person everyone turned to for advice.
He was a founding member of the Road Tramps Motorcycle Club in Murroe, Co Limerick.
McNamara had been a fellow member for many years before moving to a rival club called the Caballeros.
They were based in Tipperary but were starting to venture into Road Tramps territory, and that created some tension between the two clubs.
Turf-war
On June 19th 2015, McNamara went into the village of Doon, Co Limerick with his wife.
Word got back to the Road Tramps that someone wearing the Caballeros patches was in one of their local pubs, and three members went down for a look.
He was assaulted after he left the pub and his patches were forcibly removed - the ultimate insult to a biker, the trial heard.
He claimed his family was later threatened at gun point by some members of the Road Tramps and he felt he was acting in self-defence when he went up to their clubhouse the following day and shot Mr O'Donoghue in the head with a double-barrel sawn-off shotgun.
The jury disagreed and found him guilty of murder last July. He was handed the mandatory life sentence this afternoon.
Cusack admitted hiding the gun after the shooting eight days into the trial. was jailed for four-and-a-half years as a result.
Never forgotten
The victim impact statement went on to describe the effect his actions have had on Mr O'Donoghue's life-long partner and daughter.
His brothers said he had a wonderful relationship with both, and said they find every day without him a struggle.
They finished by saying he is their hero and would never be forgotten.
