‘Give him Duck’: How the Kinahan cartel planned to restore the confidence of its bungling hitman

The Kinahan cartel orchestrated the 2016 murder of Noel Kirwan, a 62-year-old grandfather with no criminal ties, as a means to boost the confidence of a hitman who had repeatedly botched previous assignments. This hitman, identified as Glen Clarke and known by the nickname "Teeth," had a history of fatal errors, mistakenly killing the wrong individuals in at least two prior gangland shootings.

Clarke's own life ended tragically in late 2016 when he was found dead in a stolen car, believed to have accidentally shot himself. His background was marked by family tragedy, with four of his five siblings now deceased, many due to heroin addiction. His mother was also involved in a high-profile criminal case shortly after his death.

Clarke was suspected in several murders, including those of Martin O'Rourke and Trevor O'Neill in 2016, and Dean Johnson in 2013. In all these cases, the victims were killed either due to mistaken identity or stray bullets, highlighting Clarke's incompetence.

Crucial evidence against senior Kinahan cartel figures emerged from encrypted messages exchanged on modified Blackberry devices. These messages, initially inaccessible due to advanced security, were later recovered through technological advancements. The recovered data incriminated top cartel members, contributing to the 24-year prison sentence handed down to Sean McGovern, a Kinahan lieutenant, for directing organized crime, including the conspiracy to murder Kirwan.