A man has been charged with the murder of gangster Robbie Lawlor following an arrest in Liverpool. The 41-year-old was detained by Merseyside Police on Wednesday as part of the investigation carried out by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
The suspect was transferred back to Northern Ireland and was charged on Thursday night with murder and possession of a firearm or ammunition with intent to endanger life.
Court appearance and naming
Following his appearance at Belfast Magistrates' Court on Friday, the man was named as Paul Drew, who gave an address of Whitebrook Park in Dublin. The BBC reported that Drew spoke only to confirm he understood the charges against him.
Lawlor, 36 and originally from Dublin, was shot multiple times outside a house on Etna Drive in north Belfast in April 2020. It was reported the shooting took place during a drugs feud between rival factions in Ireland.
Investigation details
The BBC said Lawlor had been a suspect in the abduction and murder of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods, whose remains were found in a car in Dublin in January 2020.
A detective from the PSNI's serious crime team told the court that she would not be making a declaration of evidence against him but added that there was a "correlation of CCTV and telecom enquiries".
The Irish Times reported that data obtained from the encrypted communications network EncroChat features in the case against Drew.
Custody and related charges
Judge Steven Keown remanded Drew in custody until September 28, when he is expected to mount a bid to be released from prison.
Two men have already been charged by the PSNI in connection with the murder of Lawlor. Investigators have moved to extradite the two suspects from Ireland as part of their probe.
