'VIGILANTE ENRAGED AFTER OAP CLEARED OF SEX CRIMES'

Suspect blasted man then burned his home | Victim acquitted of abuse raps last week

- MICHAEL O'TOOLE

A SUSPECTED paedophile Johnny Brogan was blasted to death by a vigilante who was enraged he had been acquitted of serious sex abuse charges, it's believed.

Sources have told the Irish Mirror that gardai probing the murder of the pensioner in his Co Mayo home on Sunday believe his death is connected to his acquittal on some 20 sexual assault charges just a matter of days earlier.

And we have also established that the suspect for the slaying in Co Mayo had been drinking in a pub beforehand and had a verbal row with a relative of Mr Brogan, 83.

Officers suspect the man then became enraged at the acquittal on Wednesday of Mr Brogan and decided to seek out vigilante justice against the pensioner.

"This was not a random murder," a source said last night.

"He was targeted and all the indications are that his killing was connected to allegations against him." Mr Brogan was shot at least twice with a shotgun in his rural bungalow at Pheasanthill, some 6km south of Castlebar at around 6.30pm on Sunday.

The killer then set fire to the property in a possible bid to cover his tracks.