Richard Keogh murdered in Gangland shooting outside the casino in Benalmadena

Dublin gangster Richard Keogh has been killed in a gangland-style shooting in Spain.He was shot outside a casino in Benalmadena on the Costa del Sol at around 11pm last night.
Keogh was known to the gardaí for his suspected involvement in drug trafficking and it is understood he was a target of the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Garda National Drugs and the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency.Originally from Carnlough Road in Cabra, he moved to Spain two years ago after a previous attempt on his life in Duleen, Co Louth.According to reports, the father-of-four died after a car pulled up and a gunman fired at least 10 shots at him.It happened in the Avenida del Sol at 2320 on Saturday night, and the National Police has opened a full investigation. A passerby saw the body on the ground next to the casino.

Steve Waddington slipped off the hotel room balcony, at Benalmadena, on the Costa Del Sol in Spain, after a night of heavy drinking.

35-year-old Steve Waddington slipped off the hotel room balcony, at Benalmadena, on the Costa Del Sol in Spain, after a night of heavy drinking.His wife Sarah, 28, walked into the room to find Steve dangling off the balcony, calling for help – she wasn’t able to reach him.
“I'm just devastated. We were in love and I will never ever be able to get over this loss,” Sarah told the Middleton Guardian.The couple from Manchester in the UK had married six weeks earlier, and had two children.Sarah had a three-year-old son from a previous marriage, and they had an adopted daughter, 14-year-old Caragh.
Sarah had adopted Caragh after her mother, Sarah’s auntie, died from cancer in 2004.
"He was the perfect father figure to me and Harry, I wouldn't have changed him for the world,” Caragh said.“I still can't believe he's gone and I never will, he will always be loved and missed by many - especially us."

Spanish jury found 24-year-old Victor Navas guilty of homicide.

Builder Gary Dunne, 22, was attacked and stabbed to death in the street in the popular resort of Benalmadena on March 2, 2006, for no apparent reason.
Yesterday, a Spanish jury found 24-year-old Victor Navas guilty of homicide.
But they accepted the killer’s drug problem as an extenuating factor in the case.
During the four-day trial at Malaga provincial criminal court, Navas admitted stabbing Mr Dunne, who had lived with his parents at Benalmadena for four years.
But he said he could not remember doing so because that night he had consumed cocaine, designer drugs, hashish and alcohol.He also told the nine-man jury he had been a drug addict since the age of 13.When the trial started, the state prosecutor demanded Navas should be jailed for 14 years for homicide.But following his statement about his drug problem, the prosecutor reached agreement with the defence to lower his demand to nine years’ imprisonment because of temporary diminished responsibility.Returning their verdict of guilty to homicide yesterday, the jury foreman said they accepted Navas’s drug addiction was an extenuating circumstance.
The presiding judge will release a written sentence within the next two weeks.
Mr Dunne’s parents Lesley and Stephen are also fighting a long-standing battle against the Spanish authorities to bring their son’s body home.For two years, they have been prevented from bringing his body back to Merseyside for burial.
The Spanish authorities claim that for hygiene reasons, Mr Dunne must be cremated. They would then allow his ashes to be taken home.He remains in a concrete box in the resort of Benalmadena

Sean Edwards,wants to say “thank you” to the anonymous holidaymaker who rescued him, his daughter and wife

Sean Edwards, 39, wants to say “thank you” to the anonymous holidaymaker who rescued him, his daughter and wife after they were trapped in strong rip currents in the sea off Benalmadena.Mr Edwards, who didn’t have time to get his rescuer’s name, only knows the reluctant hero came from Scarborough.
The family were enjoying a week’s holiday in the Costa del Sol town, near Malaga, when they decided to go down to the beach.Mr Edwards, his daughter Letitia, 11, and son Sam, six, went into the sea to jump waves while his wife Paula stayed on the beach.Sam left the sea to get some goggles while Mr Edwards and his daughter went further out – only to be knocked back and then off their feet by waves.
Mr Edwards, who is a sales director, said: “I came out from under the water and I couldn’t see my daughter anywhere. Then I saw her being taken away by a rip current and she was shouting. I swam out to her and we were just panicking and screaming for help.”Mrs Edwards, who had brought their son back to the edge of the sea, noticed the pair were in trouble and screamed for help.When she thought no-one was doing anything, she started swimming out to them.Mr Edwards said: “I couldn’t go anywhere because my daughter was panicking and holding on to me. The next thing I know there’s a gentleman taking hold of me. He calmed the situation and took control of my daughter.“Then a Spanish guy came with a lilo and all four of us held on to the lilo, kicking through the current to get back to shore.”During the dramatic rescue, Mrs Edwards had also got into trouble and was eventually saved by the same pair of rescuers.Mr Edwards was too shocked to properly speak to the man but would now like to trace him.He said: “The gentleman’s bravery in jumping into the sea to save three lives is something that should be honoured and commended.“He said he had heard my wife screaming on the shore and just went running. He thought nothing of it. He is a man in his late 40s and was there with quite a large family.“I would just like to thank him personally. We’re still in a bit of shock now. I dread to think what would have happened if they hadn’t made the dash into the sea.”

Benalmadena ,Daniel Whelan died at the weekend

Daniel Whelan died at the weekend while in Benalmadena on the Costa del Sol.
Early reports suggested that the 18-year-old, who was celebrating the end of his A-level exams, had been struck down by meningitis. But the Health Protection Agency has now said it was unlikely his death was caused by the infection. Hugh Lamont, a regional spokesman for the agency, said: “We understand there is currently no evidence the illness was caused by an infection of any sort. We are awaiting the results of further tests." It is understood Daniel was taken ill while on a night out with friends on Saturday. They took him back to where they were staying in the resort and called an ambulance when his condition deteriorated. He died later in hospital. His friends, all pupils at Bolton School, flew home on Monday.
His parents, Mike and Catherine Whelan, who live in Culcheth, have flown out to Spain. Daniel was due to beginning studying at Loughborough University in the autumn.

Bombs had been placed in Guadalmar, Benalmadena and on a highway linking Malaga to its international airport.

Two small bombs blamed on Basque separatist group ETA exploded at tourist resorts in southern Spain yesterday. No injuries were reported, but more than 10,000 people were evacuated from a harbour area. It is the height of the summer tourist season in Spain. The first blast occurred on a beach in Guadalmar and a second device exploded at a tourist marina parking lot in Benalmadena Costa. Both towns are around 550km south of Madrid in the Costa del Sol resort area on a stretch of coastline popular with foreign tourists, especially the British.A caller who said he spoke in the name of ETA warned the fire department in the beach resort of Benalmadena that three bombs would explode, the ministry said. He said bombs had been placed in Guadalmar, Benalmadena and on a highway linking Malaga to its international airport.

Keith Brian Burke information to say he was in the Benalmadena region of Spain

Keith Brian Burke, aged 47, originally from Halifax, is wanted by South Yorkshire Police for his role in an attack in the toilets of the Top Club in Edlington, Doncaster, in July 2001.
His name is among a list of 10 suspects believed to be hiding on Spain's 'Costa del Crime' whose details will be posted by Crimestoppers on a 'most wanted' website targeting the region.
Burke was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment for affray in his absence. He is described as 5ft 9ins tall , with blue eyes, a bald head, dark brown goatee beard, a tattoo of a devil on the right side of his neck of a devil, and a tattoo of a swallow on the left side.
Graham Truman, steward of the Top Club, said: "I've only been here three and a half years so I don't know much about the incident.
"But it will come as no surprise to anyone in the village that the police are looking for him in Spain - the story that goes around is that he's been living there for years. It happened so long ago that people don't even really talk about it anymore - though I suppose this will bring it into their minds again."
South Yorkshire Police confirmed Burke is still wanted from an incident in 2001.
DC Jim Findlay, leading the investigation, said: "There is a European arrest warrant for Burke and we had information to say he was in the Benalmadena region of Spain. He committed a particularly nasty assault on a local man in Edlington in 2001. He is also known as 'Tattooed Keith', has tattoosof swallows and is a big Manchester Untied fan. Burke attended court but left prior to the verdict back in 2001."