Dublin man Jonathan Gill 'instrumental' in murder of Robbie Lawlor, warrant claims
Police in Northern Ireland allege that Dublin man Jonathan Gill was “instrumental in all aspects” to the murder of gangster Robbie Lawlor.Jonathan ‘Jack’ Gill, 44, with an address at Malahide Road, Clontarf, North Dublin, appeared before a sitting of Dublin’s High Court on Friday, on the foot of a UK warrant seeking his arrest over the murder of Lawlor in Belfast and for the alleged possession of a 9mm pistol in April 2020. Now, Dublin Live has obtained a copy of the arrest warrant, which was presented to the court and contains the allegations that the PSNI are levelling against Mr Gill, who was remanded into custody at Cloverhill prison on Friday afternoon.The document also details alleged ‘Encrochat’ encrypted conversations in which a man, whom police allege is Gill, allegedly says his “mate will do it” and “pop him,” ahead of Lawlor’s murder. Police allege in the warrant that Gill is “considered to be a significant figure in the Organised Crime Gangs within the Republic of Ireland and in an opposing faction of the feud to Lawlor”.“It is believed his (Gill’s) criminal enterprise also reaches into Northern Ireland and to the Organised Crime Gangs within this jurisdiction,” the document also alleges. Notorious gangster Lawlor, 34, who carried out the ruthless murder and dismemberment of Keane Mulready-Woods in Drogheda, was gunned down in Ardoyne in north Belfast on April 4, 2020.Now, the PSNI say that Gill is sought in their jurisdiction so he can be prosecuted “on a joint enterprise basis” for the murder of Lawlor, which they allege was “part of an ongoing drugs feud” involving criminals in the Dublin, Sligo and Drogheda areas. In the detailed warrant, police set out the background that there are a number of key personalities involved in the feud that have been murdered - including Richard Carberry, the brother-in-law of Lawlor, who was killed on November 4, 2019.Carberry, they say, was “known to be involved in the supply of drugs.” Police claim that when Carberry was murdered, Lawlor decided to take over debts owed to his brother-in-law when he was released from prison the following month.Gill, police claim, has a criminal enterprise which also reaches into Northern Ireland - and he had an associate who is “understood to have owed money to Carberry in relation to his criminal activities and was aware that Lawlor would now be seeking the money owed”. The PSNI say in the warrant that it is believed that Gill and this associate “stood to gain financially by the murder of Lawlor”.The arrest warrant further details the alleged circumstances of the murder and allegations against Gill - with police detailing how they conducted extensive enquiries around telecommunications data, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR’) data, CCTV and vehicles. The warrant alleges that evidence was provided to suggest that Gill was “instrumental in all aspects of the murder of Lawlor”.Alleged associates of Gill who are named in the document are alleged to have met at the Sligo Park Hotel on March 16, 2020 and an arrangement was discussed. Subsequently, on April 3, 2020, the day before the murder, one of the associates is alleged to have met with Lawlor and an associate of his at a car park in Crumlin outside Belfast - to pay money owed to him.It is alleged that it was arranged between the parties that Lawlor would call the following day at the home of the associate at Etna Drive to collect a further sum of money and a Mercedes vehicle belonging to the associate - as part of payment money allegedly owed. On the following day, it is alleged that Lawlor arrived at Etna Drive as arranged and approached the front garden - where witnesses state that an unknown person “wearing dark clothing and some sort of scarf to disguise the face” came out the front door of the property with a firearm.Lawlor, police say, was shot several times at close range and died at the scene. In the aftermath, they allege that the associate of Gill fled Belfast, assisted by two other alleged associates. He returned to Belfast a number of days later, aware that he was wanted for questioning by the Police, the document states.During the time he was outside Northern Ireland, it is believed that he stayed with his associate in County Leitrim. The warrant states that police gathered phone, CCTV and ANPR evidence, which has so far resulted in the prosecution of two alleged associates. They are now before the courts in Northern Ireland.Police further allege phone data for mobiles believed to be linked to Gill “show close and regular contact” with the phone used by an associate - described as the “job phone,” in the days leading up to and including the morning of the murder. The document goes on to list two numbers which it says are believed to be linked to Gill - one an Irish number and the other a Northern Irish number. The PSNI also have evidence from French authorities in relation to ‘Enchro’ mobile phone devices, the document states.Gill, police say, has been identified as the user of the Encrochat handles ‘fly.com’ and ‘steadybuster’. Police say an examination of the Encrochat data has identified discussions that Gill, using both usernames, “was instrumental in the planning, preparation, surveillance, clean-up operation and disposal of evidence in relation to the murder of Lawlor”,On April 2, 2020, two days before the murder, police say mobile phone activity and location data of a mobile phone believed to be attributed to Gill - as well as movements of a white Opel Insignia, “suggests he travelled to Belfast with the gunman on a possible scouting exercise”.Police say this alleged scouting exercise was to seemingly assess the area where Lawlor was living and judge its viability as a location to carry out the attack.They go on to allege that there is communication between the handles attributable to Gill and two other associates.In an alleged chat, ‘steadybuster,’ who police allege is believed to be Gill, says: “OK pal listen anywhere except that city is great... My mate will do it but I don’t think he’ll make it out with the way the cops have it up there rn”.The handle alleged to be Gill further states: “We went up his way last night into the city as well its a suicide mission tbh. My pal says he will do it. but I think he’s gona get caught with all the cops shops an the psni have designed to shut the place down (sic).””We need your pal to get him out a there a bit so this could take another week tbh to try rope him up to his GAF oR somewhere else 5 mins from the city even,” it continues.”But Dundalk or on d way would be great. I was thinking of giving (named person) a car i have there an my mate in d boot an when (person) gets in an down there road 5 mins my mate will pop out a the boot an pop him.””All (person) has to do is drive am give the signal when d road is clear in a better area. Or pull in anywhere on d way to Dundalk either of them is fine (sic).”Or bring him up to... GAF my pal will come out of another GAF your pal has an run over an pop him coming out.”Police further allege that on the day of the murder, mobile phone activity and location data of a mobile phone believed to be attributed to Gill, in conjunction with the movements of a black Hyundai IX35 Estate and silver VW Caddy “suggest that he was involved in ‘spotting’ for Lawlor leaving his residence in Belfast during the morning.”Police allege that phone activity, locational data and movements of the vehicles, in conjunction with Encochat data “also suggests that after the murder Gill transported the gunman and getaway driver to Newry after they deposited the getaway vehicle in Crumlin”. “The Encrochat data also reveals that Gill utilised another suspect in organising the removal and burn out of the getaway vehicle later on that date,” police claim.A named associate in the document was initially treated as a witness in the investigation and was spoken to by Gardai on April 21, 2020. The document claims that it has since been established that this person was “instrumental in the planning and preparation stages of the murder of Lawlor and that he procured his associate, to facilitate the murder of Lawlor in Northern Ireland as attempts to murder Lawlor in Ireland and Spain had been unsuccessful”.A number of telephone numbers linked to him were regularly in contact with Gill, and other associates during the relevant time, police claim. From 31 March, 2020 onwards, Encrochat conversations between Gill (using the handle steadybuster) and this associate (using the handle rathu) “describe in detail the planning and preparation undertaken in order to successfully murder Lawlor in Northern Ireland,” police further stated.This contact, they allege, “continues after the murder, when both parties are in contact with each other to confirm that the murder has been carried out, their accomplice is alive, and that the clean-up operation has gone to plan”. Their messages also appear to congratulate each other on their successful ‘completion’ of the murder, police allege.It goes on to detail further alleged Encrochat messages dated April 4 between ‘steadybuster’ (alleged to be Gill) and ‘rathu’. Gill is alleged to have sent a message saying “Hahahaa”. “Contact him ask him is he OK. and when cops come just keep saying he hasn’t a clue what went on he was where ever he was so they can verify he was there OK pal calm him.“I no the law fuck all they can do to him if he was in another place. with he was.”The document goes on to reveal that police allege one of the associates mentioned has since “accepted that he is the person who is using the handles ‘trimnose’ and ‘rathu’ in the harvested Encrochat material from the period March 29, 2020 until April 9, 2020 in respect of the build up to and the aftermath of Lawlor’s murder.“He accepts that he briefly takes part in one of a number of conspiracies which were ongoing at this time with a view to murdering Lawlor but denies that he is a party to the actual murder,” police say.“Police have not been able to interview Gill in relation to these offences as he is outside the jurisdiction of Northern Ireland,” they continue.The investigation file, they say, was submitted to the PSNI on November 27, 2025 and on March 10 this year, “a decision was taken to prosecute Gill on indictment for these offences”. The charges set out on the document are that it is alleged Gill murdered Robbie Lawlor, contrary to Common Law and section 1 of the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975.It is also claimed that he on a date unknown between the 2nd day of April 2020 and the 5th day of April 2020 had in his possession a firearm, namely a 9mm self-loading pistol, with intent to endanger life or cause serious damage to property or to enable another person to endanger life or cause serious damage to property. The document comes after Gill was remanded into custody in Dublin - with an extradition hearing set before the High Court for April 21.Mr Gill, 44, appeared before Judge Barry O’Donnell on foot of the warrant in the North. Detective Sergeant Frank Lambe of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation gave evidence of arresting Mr Gill on the Malahide Road in Dublin on April 2.Det Sgt Lambe told the court that he arrested the man, who he identified as the man sitting in court wearing a black top and shorts, and introduced himself to him by telling him his name and rank. He told the court that he informed Mr Gill that he was aware of a trade and cooperation agreement calling for his arrest and that he would explain the details of this to him at the Garda station. He then arrested Mr Gill on the foot of a UK warrant at 4.50pm.Det Sgt Lambe said he cautioned Mr Gill and said he was not obliged to say anything but that anything he would say could be taken and used in evidence. Mr Gill made no reply, he said. He then conveyed Mr Gill to Clontarf Garda Station where he was shown a copy of the arrest warrant. Mr Gill confirmed to Det Sgt Lambe that his name is Jonathan Gill, AKA Jack Gill, and that his date of birth is the August 29, 1981.He informed Mr Gill of his rights to consent or not to surrender to the warrant and to avail of professional legal advice and representation. Det Sgt Lambe said at the conclusion of reading over the summary he asked Mr Gill if he knew about the offences, to which he replied “No”.The Judge informed Mr Gill in court again of his rights - that he can surrender to the UK, can avail of professional legal advice, the services of an interpreter, and to obtain legal advice in the UK. He asked Mr Gill if he understood those rights to which he responded in court: “Yeah.” The Judge remanded Mr Gill into custody, with a date of April 21 set for the next hearing. Mr Gill can make a bail application, the court heard, of which the Minister for Justice is to be informed.Mr Gill was remanded into custody at Cloverhill Prison, with the next court hearing for extradition to be held on April 21 before the same court.Want to see more of the stories you love from Dublin Live? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives, top stories and must-read content straight away. To add Dublin Live as a preferred source, simply click here.Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content.We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
