Man appears in Dublin court charged with murder of Robbie Lawlor

A 44-year-old man has appeared in court charged in connection with the murder of Robbie Lawlor in April 2020.

Jonathan Gill, with an address at Malahide Road in Clontarf, appeared before a High Court sitting in Dublin on Friday.

Lawlor, believed to have been involved in organised crime in the Republic of Ireland, was shot dead outside a house on Etna Drive in Ardoyne on 4 April 2020.

The court was told that Mr Gill was arrested by Gardaí (Irish police) on Thursday morning as part of a joint investigation into the murder with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Det Sgt Franke Lambe, of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, said he met Gill at his home and showed him an extradition warrant for his arrest, which had been enforced by the High Court the day before.

He was arrested and taken to Clontarf Garda Station.

Lambe said that he asked Gill if he knew what the offences were about, to which Gill replied that he did not.

Judge Barry O'Donnell told Gill he had the right to obtain professional legal advice in both jurisdictions, or consent to his surrender to the UK.

When asked if he understood his rights, Gill replied: "Yes."

Gill was remanded in custody to Cloverhill Prison in Dublin and is due to appear in court again on 21 April.