Brandon Ledwidge chief murder suspect hands himself into gardaí

Ledwidge (23) was shot dead after he answered the door of his home in Finglas, Dublin, on November 18.

The chief suspect, once a close associate of Ledwidge, walked into a Dublin garda station in recent days and told officers: “I hear you’re looking for me.”

Ledwidge’s family have been warned by his former associates to leave their home in Finglas or risk being targeted.

Two crime gangs controlling the drugs trade in the area have made threats against innocent members of Ledwidge’s family in recent days, telling them: “You can have your funeral, but you’re out after that.”

Shortly before he was shot dead, Ledwidge had assaulted a relative of the chief murder suspect, it is understood.

Ledwidge, who was facing serious drugs charges before the courts, is believed to have fallen foul of his drug- dealing associates after he decided to set up his own “independent dealing network”.

It is understood the feud grew worse when Ledwidge’s crew began selling drugs including crack cocaine and heroin to users who were travelling into the area from Ballymun and other parts of Dublin.

A source said: “He decided to go out on his own and he was being a real bully, particularly in relation to the chief suspect in the case and a relative of the suspected shooter.

“It’s a lucrative market that this crew control in this area. Every day there are people arriving in the locality from Ballymun, which is nearby, but also from other areas around the city.

“These people are like the walking dead – zombie-like figures, chronic drug addicts – and it was Ledwidge’s crew who were selling them the hard drugs.

“He assaulted that young man [the relative] shortly before the murder occurred. It seems his former associates said after that ‘Enough is enough’.”

It is understood the chief suspect’s home was searched after the murder, but he was not there.

The man, a convicted robber in his 30s, presented himself at a garda station, but was told gardaí were still collecting forensic evidence, CCTV and other items, so he would have to wait to be interviewed.

Ledwidge was remembered as a “party animal” at his funeral in St Canice’s Church in Finglas on Wednesday.

Trouble flared afterwards outside a pub in Cabra, and two men were taken to hospital with slash injuries following a row.

Ledwidge’s friend, convicted killer Derek Boyd (29), suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

It is understood a wheel brace was produced by his attacker as a number of people left the pub.

Another man from Cabra suffered more serious head injuries.

Boyd and the other man were taken to hospital. No arrests have been made.

A year ago, Boyd was jailed for two years for killing his sister, Sandra Boyd, a mother of five, through the accidental discharge of an illegally held semi-automatic pistol in March last year.