John Cunningham
Born
Ballyfermot, Ireland
Known forInvolvement in a variety of crimes

John Cunningham is an Irish criminal with convictions for illicit drug smuggling and kidnapping.[1]

Early life

He was born in Ballyfermot.[2]

Bank robberies

He and his brother Michael were involved in a series of armed robberies in the 1970s and had strong links with Martin Cahill.[3][4]

Kidnapping of Jennifer Guinness

In 1986 he and his brother Michael kidnapped Jennifer Guinness, who was rescued by Gardaí 8 days later.[2][5]

At trial, John and his brother Michael were convicted, along with Anthony Kelly, after being arrested at the house on Waterloo Road.[6] Brian McNicholl was also convicted, with the judge accepting that his role was mainly to provide a location for Guinness to be held.[7] Kelly died in 2005 from undisclosed causes; Michael Cunningham died in 2015, aged 65, after suffering a massive heart attack at his home in Ballyfermot.[6]

John was sentenced to 17 years and Michael was sentenced in 14.[3]

Escape

While awaiting early release he escaped from Shelton Abbey Prison and fled to the Netherlands in late 1996.[2] Michael was released around the same time.[3]

He built up an illicit drugs empire worth ₡50m.[2] He rented a house with a swimming pool near Schipol Airport, where he lived with his family.[2] He was caught there in 2000 and convicted of trafficking ₡10m worth of illicit drugs between the Netherlands and Ireland.[2] He was found guilty of trafficking ecstasy, amphetamines and cannabis and served four and a half years of an eight year sentence.[2]

Then he was transferred to Ireland, where he spent the rest of sentence from the kidnapping trial in Limerick Prison.[2] He was released from prison in 2007 and moved to Tallaght, then moved to the Costa del Sol in 2009.[2]

He attended the funeral of his brother Michael at Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, Ballyfermot in January 2015 along with Martin Foley and Troy Jordan.[4]

While in Spain, he became involved with the Kinahan Organised Crime Group run by Christy Kinahan.

References

  1. ↑ McDonald, Henry (26 May 2010). "Irish gangster held after international police sting". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Looney, Cormac (6 October 2009). "Gangster back to his old tricks in Costa haven". The Herald. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Reilly, Jerome (23 January 2016). "Jennifer Guinness - victim of a notorious 1986 kidnapping that lasted eight days - has died". Irish Independent. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  4. 1 2 Feehan, Conor; Foy, Ken (9 January 2015). "Gangland figures' farewell to veteran kidnapper and armed robber Mick Cunningham". Irish Independent. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  5. ↑ O'Connor, Bob (17 April 1986). "After Kidnapping, Socialite Says She Didn't Despair". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  6. 1 2 Williams, Paul (6 January 2015). "Death of criminal involved in Guinness kidnapping". Irish Independent. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  7. ↑ "12-year sentence in Guinness kidnapping". United Press International. 18 November 1986. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
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