Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 7506Murder · Co. Dublin

First person convicted over Drimnagh-Crumlin feud regularly let out of prison

Noel Roche, a 27-year-old man, was shot three times as he sat in his car in Clontarf, Dublin, and died at the scene. Craig White, a 41-year-old man, was jailed for life in 2009 for murdering Roche, and the key facts state that he was the getaway driver and that a contract killer, Paddy Doyle, carried out the shooting. Doyle later fled to the Costa del Sol after death threats and was executed in Spain. By 2023 White had served 14 years of his life sentence and was in Shelton Abbey open prison in Co Wicklow. As of 21 September 2023 he was being let home two weekends a month ahead of permanent release, a move the Parole Board had sanctioned.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced21 Sep
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Noel Roche, 27, was shot three times as he sat in his car and died at the scene.
Where
Roche was killed on Clontarf Road in Clontarf, Dublin.
When
Roche had attended a Phil Collins concert at the Point Depot before he was killed.
Weapon
A gun was found in a bag together with a balaclava.
Cause
White is said to have been the getaway driver, and contract killer Paddy Doyle is said to have carried out the shooting.
Investigation
  • White's DNA was found on the bag containing the balaclava and gun and on gloves in the getaway car.
  • White was questioned while in prison over the 2010 murder of Eamon "The Don" Dunne.
Charges
Craig White, 41, was found guilty of murdering Noel Roche.
Sentence
  • White was jailed for life in 2009 over the killing of Roche.
  • White has served 14 years of his life sentence, and the Parole Board sanctioned his home leave.
  • As of September 2023, White is in Shelton Abbey open prison, Co Wicklow, and is let home two weekends a month ahead of permanent release.
Other details
  • The killing is placed within the Drimnagh-Crumlin feud, which the article says claimed 16 lives.
  • Doyle fled to the Costa del Sol after death threats and was later executed in Spain.
8 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatRoche was shot three times as he sat in his car and died at the scene. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whereNoel Roche was killed in Clontarf. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whereWhite is in Shelton Abbey open jail, Co Wicklow, and is let home two weekends a month. (dublinlive.ie)
  • causeWhite was the getaway driver, and a contract killer, Paddy Doyle, carried out the shooting. (dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationWhite's DNA was found on a bag containing a balaclava and gun and on gloves in the getaway car. (dublinlive.ie)
  • sentenceWhite was jailed for life in 2009 over the killing of Noel Roche. (dublinlive.ie)
  • sentenceWhite has served 14 years of a life sentence, and the Parole Board sanctioned the move. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherDoyle fled to the Costa del Sol after death threats and was later executed in Spain. (dublinlive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 21 Sep2023
    Sentenceddublinlive.ie, follow-up
    First person convicted over bloody Dublin feud is regularly let out of prison

    Follow-up on White's sentence: he is in Shelton Abbey open prison and is being let home two weekends a month ahead of permanent release. The article also places the Roche murder within the Drimnagh-Crumlin feud.

    convicted, Craig White, 41, male, namedCraig Whitevictim, Noel Roche, 27, male, irish (judged from name)Noel Rochesuspect, Paddy Doyle, male, named, irish (judged from name)Paddy Doyle