Four quizzed on death of man on run

Four people have been released without charge after being arrested in Dublin in connection with the murder of a man on the run.

Jason Martin (39) was stabbed outside a bar in the Irish city last September when a row broke out involving 20 people from two criminal gangs.

At the time, Martin was wanted by detectives investigating the kidnap of a father-of-four, now feared dead. Police had been searching for Martin since building site manager Paul Brady (44), from Rochdale, was snatched by up to 10 masked men armed with metal poles in Bacup last August.

Martin was killed when an organised England v Ireland fight outside Hannigen’s Bar in Park West Road developed into a 20-man brawl involving knives, hockey sticks, a hatchet and broken glass. Irish police believe Martin was hiding from Lancashire police with Ballyfermot criminals to whom he had previously dealt drugs and who were in the prearranged fight with a rival gang.

They arrested two men and two women in connection to his murder on Friday but this morning said all four had been released.

Mr Brady was a site manager of an exclusive housing development at Lynn’s Court. The gang struck as he was travelling away from the site with a friend who managed to escape.

Detectives say a well-organised criminal network linked to drugs gangs in Manchester could be responsible for the kidnap.

Two men, one from Salford and one from Padiham, have been charged with Mr Brady’s murder.