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Gangland killer Craig White allowed out of prison every second weekend

White (41) was jailed for life in 2009 over the brutal killing of Noel Roche.

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The first person convicted for murder in connection with the Crumlin-Drimnagh feud which claimed 16 lives is being regularly let out of prison .

Gang killer Craig White, who is currently an inmate in Shelton Abbey Open Prison, Co Wicklow, and is being let home on temporary release two weekends a month in preparation for his permanent release.

It is understood he has so far served 14 years of a life sentence for murder, however, the Parole Board has now sanctioned his temporary weekend releases.

The 41 year old was jailed for life in 2009 over the brutal killing of Noel Roche (27) in Clontarf after he attended a Phil Collins concert in the Point Depot.

Roche was shot three times as he sat in his car and died at the scene.

White was the getaway driver and the shooting is believed to have been carried out by a known contract killer Paddy Doyle, who worked for ‘Fat’ Freddie Thompson.

Doyle fled the country for the Costa del Sol when he received death threats after the murder and was subsequently executed himself in Spain, 18 months later.

The trial heard White was a “senior gangland figure ” and his DNA was found on a bag containing a balaclava and gun and on gloves found in the getaway car.

He became the first person jailed over the long running Drimnagh-Crumlin feud which resulted in a staggering 16 deaths.

He had been questioned while in prison over the 2010 murder of another gangland boss Eamon ‘the Don’ Dunne after Dunne had boasted in the days before his assassination that he had a fling with a woman know to White.

However, White denied any involvement and was never prosecuted in relation to the killing.

A prison source said; “Craig White served most of his sentence in Mountjoy and was moved to the open prison two years ago.

“He is regularly getting out for weekends and stays with family and friends.

“He has been a major gangland figure but has kept his nose clean in recent years and is keen to make a fresh start away from crime.

“There is no way he would be let out unless the Parole Board felt he was a changed man.

“He was beaten up once in Mountjoy by another prisoner several years ago and to be fair, it wasn’t his fault. He will be out on permanent release soon.

“He has to behave and adhere to the strict release conditions or he will be sent back to jail to finish his sentence.”

The Irish Prison Service said it does not comment on individual prisoners.