Spanish police manhunt for Kinahan associate called off after he turns up claiming 'misunderstanding'

The Spanish police manhunt for a Kinahan associate who disappeared following his arrest over a restaurant gun attack has been called off after he turned up.

The Dubliner, in his 30s, was detained along with an Englishman after up to 15 shots were fired through the front window of a plush Marbella restaurant on March 11.

Three weeks later, Spanish cops raided four houses in Marbella and nearby Estepona, discovering the Irishman in a villa where a revolver was also allegedly found.

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Both the Irishman and the Englishman were initially remanded in custody, but later given bail upon appeal on condition that they surrender their passports and sign on twice a month.

However, neither showed for their first required appointment to hand over their passports and a judge subsequently issued an arrest warrant for the pair. On Tuesday, the court in Marbella announced that the warrant had been revoked after they turned up a day after it was issued, claiming it was all a misunderstanding.

It is understood both insisted it was not necessary for them to hand over their documents, as police already had them. Authorities said the men had not been remanded in custody, but had seen their bail terms strengthened.

They must now sign on twice a week rather than twice a month and must also comply with an order to stay away from the premises which was attacked. They have also been ordered not to access any firearms.

Nobody was injured during the shooting at the restaurant, which occurred after two men on a motorbike pulled up outside shortly before lunchtime on March 11. Staff and a small number of customers were inside at the time and police are still investigating a motive for what happened.

Cops said the arrests came after they tracked the motorbike, which bore false licence plates, to the home of one of the men.

As well as the gun, a large machete and over €32,000 in cash was also seized. The Irishman has a long association with the Kinahan cartel, despite coming from Hutch gang heartland in Dublin’s north inner city.

He is believed to have been involved in sourcing cars for Kinahan murder bids on Hutch figures during the bloody feud.

He is also a suspect in a number of arson attacks on cars belonging to innocent members of the Hutch family and was forced to flee Dublin in 2017 because his own life was at risk.

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