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Gardaí recommend ‘mastermind’ behind killing of Irene White be charged with murder

Decision on bringing chief plotter to justice in case rests with the DPP

Today at 06:56

Gardaí have recommended that the mastermind behind the murder of Irene White be charged with her killing in a file sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The mother of three was stabbed to death in a frenzied attack at her home in Dundalk, Co Louth, in 2005.

Two men, including the man who carried out the fatal attack, are serving life sentences for her murder but detectives are still pursuing the person who they believe ordered it.

The garda investigation has been continuing and a file was submitted to the DPP for consideration a number of months ago.

This includes the evidence gathered as part of the inquiry and recommendations relating to the mastermind.

It is understood that among these is a recommendation that the ­individual suspected of ordering the killing is charged with murder.

Sources said that the DPP will ultimately decide what charges, if any, are brought against the mastermind.

No decision has yet been reached by the DPP.

It follows a significant investigation in recent years and the gathering of new evidence in the case.

Investigators have long maintained that there is enough evidence to charge the man with Ms White’s murder.

One source said: “The DPP has directed charges on far less and the belief has always been that there is more than enough evidence for a charge to be preferred against this individual.

“While gardaí can make recommendations that decision lies with the DPP’s office and a decision is still awaited on the matter.

“The investigation has already led to the prosecution of the killer and the go-between, but the person who ordered the murder is still at large, for the time being at least.”

The mastermind is suspected of orchestrating the murder of Ms White (43) who was stabbed to death in her home at Ice House Hill on the Demesne Road in Dundalk on April 6, 2005.

Anthony Lambe, from Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, was jailed for life in 2018 after pleading guilty to committing the murder at the behest of “middleman” Niall Power, of Riverstown, Dundalk, who was described as a “close family friend” of the victim.

Lambe was a history student at the time and was working part-time as a security guard for Power in Dundalk. He went to live in Australia for a number of years after the killing.

In 2011 the inquiry “ran into the sand” and was taken up by the Garda Serious Crime Review Team, known as the cold case unit, which made several recommendations to the investigation team.

Detectives received a breakthrough in the case in 2012 when a woman made an anonymous phone call to gardaí, saying that Lambe had confessed his role in the murder to her.

The female was eventually identified, and detectives travelled to Australia to take a witness statement from her.

Lambe was later arrested, charged and pleaded guilty.

He outlined in detail how Niall Power had solicited him to carry out the attack.

Power then admitted to gardaí his part in the murder.

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In July 2019 he was also jailed for life after pleading guilty to soliciting Lambe to carry out the murder.

Ms White’s sister Anne Delcassian campaigned for justice for her sister for years, but died in 2019 following illness.