The Daily Star Ireland
The family of Thomas McCarthy, who was murdered by a gangland killer over four years ago, still struggles to understand the reasons behind his death. The 55-year-old, who resided and worked in England, was visiting his mother’s home in Ballyfermot, Dublin when he was shot by Cailean Crawford on the doorstep. Crawford, a 28-year-old described as a perjurer and assassin by Judge Tony Hunt, was sentenced to life in prison for the crime.
Pauline McCarthy, Thomas’s mother, recalled the harrowing moment when her son collapsed on her after being shot. She described the horror of hearing what she thought was a loud noise from fireworks, only to realize Thomas had been fatally wounded. She said the pain of witnessing his death would stay with her forever.
Thomas McCarthy’s partner of 31 years, Mia O’Reilly, described him as a good and innocent man who would help anyone. She expressed the family’s anguish, stating they were left with no answers and had endured unimaginable suffering since his death.
The McCarthy family thanked the police, judge, and jury for the guilty verdict. Mr. Justice Tony Hunt criticized Crawford not only for the murder but also for his attempt to escape responsibility through perjury. Despite Crawford’s claims that he had not received a fair trial, the judge upheld the jury’s decision, calling it the only reasonable conclusion based on the evidence.
The tragic event occurred in July 2020, when Thomas McCarthy, a father and grandfather, was shot seven times at his mother’s door and died at the scene. Crawford, a known figure in organized crime, was the gunman, and after the shooting, he and other gang members fled the scene, burning two cars and a van. Crawford attempted to deny his involvement during the trial, claiming he was only a drug dealer, but this was rejected by the jury.
Crawford’s associate, Charles McClean, was also convicted in connection to the murder and is serving time for his role in facilitating organized crime. Additionally, Crawford and McClean were involved in the attempted murder of Wayne Whelan, another gang member, who survived the attack but was later killed in another shooting.
