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Car owned by pal of Martin ‘The Viper’ Foley is destroyed arson attack

Gardaí are examining several theories as to why the Hyundai was targeted by two people who arrived at his property on a motorbike.

Today at 06:34

A car owned by a close associate of veteran criminal Martin ‘The Viper’ Foley has been destroyed in an arson attack.

Gardaí are examining several theories as to why the Hyundai was targeted by two people who arrived at his property on a motorbike.

The incident happened in the Kingscourt area of Co Cavan on Tuesday evening. No arrests have yet been made.

“The car was completely destroyed in this criminal damage incident – the owner has plenty of enemies, so it may prove difficult to find out who is responsible,” a source said.

The 36-year-old owner of the vehicle is in Loughan House open prison in Co Cavan, where he is serving a sentence imposed earlier this year for a serious assault.

A prison source said he has not been involved in any disputes since being jailed, so the motive for burning the car is not linked to any jail row.

“This individual is heavily involved in criminality on a local level and he is associated with people who have links to the INLA,” another source said.

“These are people who have been taxing local drug dealers and have been involved in intimidation and harassment.

“The man whose car was burnt out would be considered something of a ‘heavy’ in the locality and has been involved in a number of criminal disputes.

“Despite being sentenced for a very serious assault earlier this year, he is now in an open prison and has even been out on temporary release on a couple of occasions.

“The concern now is that his associates will try to get revenge on whoever did this and it could lead to more violence.”

The target of the arson attack has a number of previous convictions and worked for Foley’s debt collection company, where his activities brought him to the attention of gardaí in relation to an alleged assault.

Sources said Foley (70) had been a regular visitor to the man’s home and has attended family events hosted by the jailed criminal.

The man has also been visited in prison by a well-known former dissident republican figure.

The Foley company he had worked for – Viper Debt Recovery – continues to be active in collecting debts for clients across the country.

Last month, Foley pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour during an incident in which a “heavy” for the company threatened to slit a man’s throat over a €4,000 debt.

He faces a maximum sentence of three months when he appears again before Wexford Circuit Court later this year.

The court had heard that on June 17, 2020, at Holly Walk, Cromwellsfort Grove, Wexford, Floey allegedly engaged in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with an intent to provoke a breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether such a breach of the peace occurred.

He has more than 40 convictions for offences including assault and robbery