The father of Michael Barr has slammed the eight-year sentence handed down to one of the men involved in his son’s murder for his role in another slaying and attempted hit — saying he should have got life.
Kinahan Cartel thug Martin Aylmer, who is already serving time in prison for his role in Barr’s murder, was sentenced to a further eight years behind bars last Friday for his involvement in another feud murder – that of Noel Kirwan. And speaking exclusively to this paper following that verdict, Colin Barr said he was deeply upset that Aylmer had received what he described as a “light” sentence.
“He got off with a light sentence.” Mr Barr added that he believed Aylmer deserved life for his role in the Kinahan drug cartel. Republican Michael Barr, 35, was shot dead by a Kinahan cartel hit team on April 25, 2016, after the Kinahans believed without evidence that he was somehow involved in the Regency Hotel murder of their associate David Byrne in February of that year.
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Now Mr Barr’s father says he’s angered by what he feels is too light a sentence for Aylmer over his involvement in Mr Kirwan’s murder and an attempt on Hutch associate James ‘Mago’ Gately. "I am disgusted at this light sentence. He’s been involved in two murders and one attempted murder and yet he walks away with a light eight-year sentence,” he added. “He deserves to be locked up for life.”
During Friday’s sentencing hearing the court heard how Aylmer, 35, was a “trusted enabler” of the Kinahan Cartel. He was jailed for 10 years with two suspended after he pleaded guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of innocent father-of-four Kirwan in 2016.
He had also earlier admitted being involved in a Kinahan cartel plan to murder James Gately between September 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017. Mr Kirwan was murdered by the Kinahans after they perceived him to be close to top target Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced Aylmer to five years’ imprisonment for his involvement in the murder of Mr Kirwan and a consecutive sentence of five years and four months for his part in the attempted murder of Gately. Mr Justice Hunt then suspended the final two years of the sentence for four years.
The judge told the court that Aylmer’s conviction was “another lesson in the perils of becoming involved in this organisation”. Detective Superintendent Dave Gallagher of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau said: “Today’s convictions are significant in bringing to account a trusted enabler, without whose support and assistance a violent criminal organisation could not operate a campaign of murder and violence which impacted immensely on families and local communities.
“I can confirm that investigators are still actively engaged in gathering evidence with the aim of prosecuting other persons identified and suspected of being involved in these violent crimes.”
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By the time of his sentencing on Friday, Aylmer was already nearly four years into his sentence for his involvement in Mr Barr’s murder at the Sunset House pub in Dublin’s North inner city in April 2016.
Aylmer, who is originally from Casino park in Marino, North Co Dublin, received a sentence of three years and nine months after he pleaded guilty in July to participating in or contributing to activity intending to facilitate the commission by a criminal organisation or any of its members of a serious offence – namely the murder of Mr Barr.
After an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions in 2020, that sentence was increased to six years with 15 months suspended. During that case the court heard how Aylmer helped the Kinahan crime group commit a “cold-blooded murder”. The thug bought six pre-paid mobile phones in the run-up to the murder – one of which was later found beside a burnt-out car used as the getaway vehicle in Mr Barr’s murder.
Aylmer was captured on CCTV footage buying the phone in Dublin’s Ilac Shopping Centre two days before the shooting. As well as Aylmer, three other men are serving life in prison after they were found guilty of Mr Barr’s murder. The most recent of them to be jailed is Christopher Slator, who was given life earlier this month.
Also serving life behind bars is David Hunter, 43, who was one of the two gunmen who entered the pub on the night of Barr’s murder. Similarly, his pal Eamon Cumberton was also nailed by a DNA profile on a separate similar mask and baseball cap – with this evidence securing his life sentence in prison.
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