The man who cleaned up the ‘house of horrors’ where teenager Keane Mulready-Woods was butchered is to be released from prison next week - leading to fears he will be targeted by those angered over the gruesome murder.
Gerard ‘Ged’ McKenna, 52, was sentenced to a four-year jail term at Mountjoy Prison for cleaning up and removing blood-stained evidence from his Drogheda home where Keane, 17, was murdered and dismembered by slain serial killer Robbie Lawlor in January 2020. The dad-of-eight, who went into custody in May 2020, has now served his time - with a quarter off for good behaviour. He is set to be released next week.
But, because his ‘house of horrors’ in Rathmullen Park in the Co Louth town where the shocking murder took place, has now been taken back by Louth County Council, McKenna is effectively homeless. And it is believed he wants to return to his hometown of Drogheda - leading to fears that he will be targeted by those who are still angered over what happened to Keane and how he was brutally murdered.
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“McKenna has family in the town and it's believed he wants to return there but whether some locals will allow him to live there is another thing,” a source told The Star.
“There’s still an awful lot of anger, hurt and shock over what happened to Keane and it has only been just over three years since the savage murder and dismembering of the teenager,” the source continued.
“McKenna isn’t well liked after what he did cleaning up the scene."
Shortly after he was sentenced in March 2022 - a jail term that was backdated to when he went into custody in May 2020, abuse appeared on social media directed at McKenna. Several posts read “Smelly Rat” and “See you in four years,” leading to fears that tensions will rise once again if he shows his face around the town.
If he does return to the town, there are also fears he will be run out of the place in a similar way Gerard ‘Rocky’ Cruise was when he returned to the town while on bail for his role in the murder. Cruise, 49, was sentenced to seven years in February for facilitating the murder of the teen while his co-accused Paul Crosby, 27, was sentenced to ten years for the same offence.
While on bail Cruise returned to the town in January 2021, but had to flee for his own safety after being targeted because of his involvement in the murder. Crowds had gathered outside a house he was in shouting abuse and gardai moved in to remove him from the area. Cruise fled the area and remained in Dublin city while on bail awaiting sentence because of the continued threats to his safety.
Keane’s shocking murder was linked to a violent feud between two crime gangs in the town which claimed four lives and saw over 100 violent incidents, including shootings, assaults, petrol bombing homes and a kidnapping. Keane was last seen alive in the town on January 12, 2020. The following day, some of the teenager's dismembered body parts were found in a holdall in the Moatview area of Coolock in Dublin.
Two days later the 17-year-old’s head, hands and feet were discovered in a burning car not far away in Drumcondra.
Sentencing McKenna at the Central Criminal Court Mr Justice Paul McDermott said while it was not suggested that he was present during the “shocking dismemberment of the boy” he was aware something had occurred when he walked into his blood-stained house and was told to clean the property.
Mr Justice McDermott said that whilst McKenna had expressed shame and knew the victim since his birth and his family, he did not appear to care at the time what was done to the teenager by these people in his family home - but had also not expected him to be murdered and "in such a grotesque way."
He added: “If people are minded to help serious criminals because they feel intimidated or threatened to do so, they can thrive.
“Turning a blind eye and indifference to assisting serious criminal gangs is the bedrock of their success.”
The court also heard that slain serial killer Robbie Lawlor, who ordered McKenna to surrender his house “was not easy to say no to and when they tell you to do something, you do it.”
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