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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
irishmirror.ie

David Byrne's aunt doesn't live to see Hutch verdict as mother of 'Fat' Freddie Thompson dies

The mother of jailed murderer 'Fat' Freddie Thompson and aunt of Regency Hotel shooting victim David Byrne has died.

Thompson’s mother Lisa was discovered in a critical state at her home in Maryland, Dublin, yesterday morning and was declared dead.

Her death came on the eve of the long-awaited verdict in the trial of Gerry Hutch, who is accused of murdering her nephew David Byrne in the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. Lisa was also the sister of Byrne’s mother Sadie, who has attended almost every day of the Hutch trial.

READ MORE - Gerry Hutch verdict LIVE: 'The Monk' learns his fate in Regency murder trial

Their mother Maria Shine, formerly Roe, died in November of last year in the midst of the trial.

Lisa’s son Thompson is currently serving a life sentence for the gangland murder of Daithi Douglas.

Sources say it is unlikely that Thompson will be granted any form of temporary release for the funeral of his mother.

Douglas’ murder took place at the height of the Kinahan/Hutch feud and was orchestrated by Thompson.

He was a key ally on the outside to Daniel Kinahan and helped him run the feud against the Hutch crime gang that has now left 18 men dead.

But he was snared after a massive investigation into the murder of Mr Douglas, gunned down because the cartel wrongly believed he had tried to murder Kinahan for the Hutch gang in November 2015, just when the feud was starting.

Thompson led a four-strong team that was involved in the attack on Douglas as he stood outside his wife’s shop Shoestown on Bridgefoot Street, south central Dublin on the afternoon of July 1, 2016.

The 55-year-old was shot dead shortly after 4pm as he ate a curry.

He had been shot six times to the head, neck and throat.

A semi-automatic pistol with its serial number removed was found next to his head.

Gardai do not believe Mr Douglas was involved in the botched hit on Daniel Kinahan.

Gardai from Kevin Street Station in the city centre mounted a massive investigation into the Douglas killing — and Thompson quickly fled Ireland.

But, on November 1, 2016, detectives became aware he was planning to return home for a two-hour meeting at the City North Hotel, just off the M1 and on the border of Dublin and Meath.

Then-Detective Inspector, now-Chief Supt Paul Cleary, led a team of armed officers to the hotel and mounted a surveillance operation there.

Chief Supt Cleary then saw Thompson and followed him into the toilet — where he promptly arrested him.

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