A man - whom a High Court judge once described as having "a prolonged and deep history" with criminality - rang RTE's 'Liveline' to brand an early morning visit to his home by gardai with an arrest warrant as "ludicrous".

Gardaí arrived to the Dublin home of Dean Russell (49) in the early hours of Wednesday morning with an arrest warrant for a speeding charge.

Mr Russell told RTE Radio One's Liveline he refused to open the door to gardaí and described the operation as a "complete waste of manpower".

He said he thought "someone was dead" because of the garda presence in his garden, saying it reminded him of his brother Anthony Russell's murder 10 years ago.

"I had the pleasure of being woken up at five to four in the morning by five guards," he told the radio programme.

"They had a warrant to arrest me for speeding. I didn't open the door. I refused. I thought it was an awful time of the morning to wake me and my kids up.

"There is a procedure to execute warrants and that's not it. I don't think that's a proper example to be setting [to other guards].

"Why they decided to do this, I don't know."

Mr Russell admitted he had not shown up for a court hearing on the speeding charge and said he was "waiting for the proper procedure of the arrest warrant."

Broadcaster Joe Duffy pointed out that according to District Court rules, arrest warrants "may be issued or executed on any day, at any time."

Mr Russell told the programme he escaped from the back of the house, but went to the garda station the following day to deal with the issue.

"In total there were 12 gardaí, from the Armed Response Unit as well, in the garden," he said.

"I left the house, I went out the back. What were they going to gain bringing me to a station, it's a waste of manpower, they'd have to give me breakfast, have someone watch me, it's not an example to be setting.

"I had myself, my son, my two grandkids and my daughter in the house.

"My neighbours all woke up, they were contacting me yesterday to see what was going on.

"They thought it was a murder with the number of police."

He added; "I know the guards have to do their job. But there is a procedure in place and common sense should prevail.

"It's ludicrous. Could they not have come at four o'clock in the day? I'm not opening that door to be brought to a police station and humiliated."

In 2013, Mr Justice George Birmingham granted the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB ) orders in relation to properties belonging to Dean Russell after finding the assets were the proceeds of crime.

The properties were Russells' four bedroom home at Riverside Park, Clonshaugh, Dublin, an apartment at Lymewood Mews, Northwood, Santry, Dublin, as well as an apartment in southern Spain.

In affidavits, Mr Russell had opposed the CAB application and claimed the properties were acquired as a result of him working in various enterprises including cleaning windows, selling furniture, a taxi business, and from car sales.

In his ruling, the judge said Mr Russell had access to "very significant amounts of funds" which were "quite in excess of any funds generated by legitimate activities he was involved in."

The Judge said the house in Clonshaugh was acquired in 1995 for IR£53,000. The apartments in Spain and Santry were acquired approximately a decade later for €400,000 in total. Mortgages were obtained on all the properties.

Mr Russell and another party had also acquired a property in Co Louth for approximately €400,000.

The Judge said there was no proper explanation where the monies used to obtain these purchases had come from. The evidence tendered on Mr Russell's behalf where the monies had come from the judge said "impossible to accept."

The judge, noting evidence from CAB Chief Detective Chief Superintendent Eugene Corcoran, said Mr Russell had a deep and prolonged history with criminal activity and had associated with known criminals.

He had 12 previous convictions, the most of which was in 1991 in connection with a post office robbery.

After Joe Duffy referrred to the CAB judgment and previous convictions, Mr Russell said he "hasn't been in trouble in years". He said his life is not currently in danger, but he has been threatened before.

"I have previous convictions, all in the past when I was young and foolish," he said.

"I'm nearly 50 now, I haven't been in trouble in years. Google me away. At the end of the day, I think I'm a good person.

"I'm chairman of the local football club. I do a lot for the area. I have a good community."

He also said the incident on Wednesday morning reminded him of his brother's murder.

He continued; "Pity [the gardaí] weren't that quick that night."

His brother Anthony Russell (30) of Cromcastle Drive, Kilmore, had been drinking in the Ardlea Inn, Maryfield Avenue, Artane, when he was shot in 2009.

He had been warned by gardai before the shooting that his life was in danger.

Joe Duffy asked Dean Russell if anyone has been convicted of his brother's murder.

"I don't think so... nobody has been convicted," Mr Russell replied.

He also said he knows who killed his brother.

"Are they still alive," Joe Duffy asked.

"No comment," he replied, before adding; "I think they are, yeah."

Mr Russell said he has put a complaint in with the Garda Ombudsman about the incident.

Online Editors