John Traynor (criminal)
Encyclopedia
John "The Coach" Traynor (born 1948 in Dublin) is an Irish
criminal. Traynor was one of the contacts in the criminal world for murdered Irish journalist
Veronica Guerin
.
.
He initially worked with Martin Cahill
's gang, and eventually owned a derelict shop building that Cahill formerly owned, in Arbour Hill
. During the Garda Síochána
investigation into Cahill's 1986 theft of the Beit-collection paintings
from Russborough House
, Blessington
, County Wicklow
, detectives believed that the paintings were stored for a period at Arbour Hill.
Transfering his alligence to fellow former-Cahill gang member John Gilligan, he also associated with Gilligan gang-members Brian Meehan and Patrick Holland
.
In 1992, he was arrested and convicted in England
for his involvement in a scam involving bearer bonds. Jailed for seven years at Highpoint Prison
in Suffolk
, Traynor was granted compassionate leave to visit his wife and children in Templeogue
, but never returned. Authorities in the UK eventually issued an international arrest warrant against Traynor.
Detectives from the Garda believe that Traynor was involved in planning her murder. Gardaí believe that Traynor tipped off John Gilligan about her whereabouts on the day she was murdered in 1996. According to later testimony by Gilligan, Traynor ordered the murder of Guerin without his knowledge or permission.
, and has never officially returned. He has since moved across Europe
, mainly between Spain
and the Netherlands
.
Arrested in 1997 with Brian Meehan, who drove the motorbike when Guerin was killed, he was later released without charge.
In the subsequent investigation by the Garda following Guerin's murder, Traynor was found to be involved in a wide variety of criminal enterprises. Second in command to Gilligan, the gang had operations from organising armed robberies to drug smuggling, embezzlement
and prostitution
. The Criminal Assets Bureau
was later successful in the High Court, when a judgment mortgage was registered on the Arbour Hill shop, and seizure of a significant portion of the disposal of a property owned by Traynor in Waterford
.
, the Regiokorpsen (Dutch regional police) arrested Traynor in Amstelveen
. Although Amstelveen is an independent municipality
, it is seen as a suburb
of Amsterdam, close to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Traynor is now awaiting extradition to the UK to complete the remainder of his seven year sentence.
Under British law, Traynor will face a higher prison sentence. The UK Ministry of Justice commented: “Recaptured absconders will be returned to a more secure closed prison where they face either a criminal prosecution for escaping or an internal adjudication in prison in front of a visiting judge. In both cases they can receive additional time in prison on top of their existing sentence."
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
criminal. Traynor was one of the contacts in the criminal world for murdered Irish journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
Veronica Guerin
Veronica Guerin
Veronica Guerin was an Irish crime reporter who was murdered on 26 June 1996 by drug lords, an event which, alongside the murder of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe three weeks earlier, helped establish the Criminal Assets Bureau....
.
Career
Traynor is suspected of being a central and important figure in the Dublin gangland, and had associations with the Irish National Liberation ArmyIrish National Liberation Army
The Irish National Liberation Army or INLA is an Irish republican socialist paramilitary group that was formed on 8 December 1974. Its goal is to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and create a socialist united Ireland....
.
He initially worked with Martin Cahill
Martin Cahill
Martin "The General" Cahill was a prominent Irish criminal from Dublin.Cahill generated a certain notoriety in the media, which referred to him by the sobriquet "The General". The name was also used by the media in order to discuss Cahill's activities while avoiding legal problems with libel...
's gang, and eventually owned a derelict shop building that Cahill formerly owned, in Arbour Hill
Arbour Hill
Arbour Hill is an inner city area of Dublin, on the Northside of the River Liffey, in the Dublin 7 postal district. Arbour Hill, the road of the same name, runs west from Blackhall Place in Stoneybatter, and separates Collins Barracks, now part of the National Museum of Ireland, to the south from...
. During the Garda Síochána
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
investigation into Cahill's 1986 theft of the Beit-collection paintings
Sir Alfred Beit, 2nd Baronet
Sir Alfred Lane Beit, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative Party politician, art collector and philanthropist and honorary Irish citizen.-Family background:...
from Russborough House
Russborough House
Russborough House is a stately house situated near the Blessington Lakes in County Wicklow, Ireland, between the towns of Blessington and Ballymore Eustace and is reputed to be the longest house in Ireland, with a frontage measuring 210 m/700 ft...
, Blessington
Blessington
Blessington, historically known as Ballycomeen , is a town in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is located on the N81 road, which connects Dublin to Tullow.- History :...
, County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
, detectives believed that the paintings were stored for a period at Arbour Hill.
Transfering his alligence to fellow former-Cahill gang member John Gilligan, he also associated with Gilligan gang-members Brian Meehan and Patrick Holland
Patrick Holland
Patrick Holland is an Australian novelist, short story writer and essayist. His novel The Long Road of the Junkmailer won the 2005 Queensland Premier's Award for Best Emerging Author and was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, Best First Book South East Asia/South Pacific...
.
In 1992, he was arrested and convicted in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for his involvement in a scam involving bearer bonds. Jailed for seven years at Highpoint Prison
Highpoint Prison
Highpoint Prison refers to two prisons located in Stradishall, Suffolk, England:* Highpoint North , a Category C men's prison * Highpoint South , another Category C men's prison...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, Traynor was granted compassionate leave to visit his wife and children in Templeogue
Templeogue
Templeogue is a suburb of southwest Dublin, Ireland. The original Irish name Teach Mealóg refers to a chapel named after Saint Mel that was built there in about 1273....
, but never returned. Authorities in the UK eventually issued an international arrest warrant against Traynor.
Veronica Guerin
Having returned to Gilligan's gang in Dublin, and building up his prostitution business based from a massage parlour in Dublin, Traynor became a confidential source for journalist Veronica Guerin. On January 30, 1995, Traynor hired a gunman to shoot her in the leg at her home. At the time of her murder in 1996, Traynor was seeking a High Court order against Guerin, to prevent her from publishing a book about his involvement in organised crime.Detectives from the Garda believe that Traynor was involved in planning her murder. Gardaí believe that Traynor tipped off John Gilligan about her whereabouts on the day she was murdered in 1996. According to later testimony by Gilligan, Traynor ordered the murder of Guerin without his knowledge or permission.
First Netherlands arrest
Traynor fled Ireland after Guerin was killed, initially to PortugalPortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, and has never officially returned. He has since moved across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, mainly between Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Arrested in 1997 with Brian Meehan, who drove the motorbike when Guerin was killed, he was later released without charge.
In the subsequent investigation by the Garda following Guerin's murder, Traynor was found to be involved in a wide variety of criminal enterprises. Second in command to Gilligan, the gang had operations from organising armed robberies to drug smuggling, embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
and prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
. The Criminal Assets Bureau
Criminal Assets Bureau
The Criminal Assets Bureau is a law enforcement agency in Ireland, the purpose of which is to recover the proceeds of organised crime. It is a division of the Garda , but reports annually to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform...
was later successful in the High Court, when a judgment mortgage was registered on the Arbour Hill shop, and seizure of a significant portion of the disposal of a property owned by Traynor in Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
.
Second Netherlands arrest
On or near 22 August 2010, in a joint operation with the UK's Serious Organised Crime AgencySerious Organised Crime Agency
The Serious Organised Crime Agency is a non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom under Home Office sponsorship...
, the Regiokorpsen (Dutch regional police) arrested Traynor in Amstelveen
Amstelveen
' is a suburban municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is part of the metropolitan area of Amsterdam. The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the following villages and/or districts: Amstelveen, Bovenkerk, Westwijk, Bankras-Kostverloren, Groenelaan, Waardhuizen,...
. Although Amstelveen is an independent municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
, it is seen as a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Amsterdam, close to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Traynor is now awaiting extradition to the UK to complete the remainder of his seven year sentence.
Under British law, Traynor will face a higher prison sentence. The UK Ministry of Justice commented: “Recaptured absconders will be returned to a more secure closed prison where they face either a criminal prosecution for escaping or an internal adjudication in prison in front of a visiting judge. In both cases they can receive additional time in prison on top of their existing sentence."