ONE of the four criminal Dundon brothers currently locked up in jail is about to be freed.

Ger Dundon (26), who was imprisoned for five years for violent disorder as part of an extortion campaign against a Limerick nightclub promoter, will be released from prison by Sunday, if not earlier.

A leading member of what was once regarded as the country's most dangerous criminal gang -- the McCarthy-Dundons -- Ger walks free from prison to a changed criminal landscape.

Three older brothers -- Wayne, John and Dessie -- are serving varying sentences and the gang's influence in the Limerick area of Ballinacurra-Weston has been dismantled by gardai.

The gang suffered a major schism in recent years as associates turned on each other, resulting in the jailing of various gang members.

In February 2011, Ger Dundon, who had 99 criminal convictions, was jailed for violent disorder at Sarsfield Avenue, Garryowen, Limerick, in 2010.

The jailing arose following attempts to extort €20,000 from nightclub promoter Mark Heffernan. Dundon was caught chasing Mr Heffernan across Limerick city during the extortion attempts. Last year at the Court of Criminal Appeal, Ger lost an appeal against the five-year sentence.

His barrister Brendan Nix said at the hearing that after his release from prison, Ger Dundon intends going to England to take up employment. However, Chief Justice Susan Denham said there was no evidence that he planned to leave Limerick.

SENTENCE

Ger's former partner, April Collins with whom he has three children, became involved in a relationship with convicted gang rapist, Thomas O'Neill who has also been imprisoned.

Ms Collins testified against Ger's older brothers John and Wayne at criminal trials securing their imprisonment.

Last year, Ger's brother John (30) was found guilty of the 2008 murder of innocent rugby player Shane Geoghegan and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Wayne Dundon is serving a six-year sentence for threatening to kill two brothers of April Collins and is also awaiting trial for the murder of Roy Collins.

Dessie Dundon is serving a life sentence for the 2003 murder of Kieran Keane.

Irish Independent