130 – Drugs, Death and Butchery: The Deaths of Vincent Costello, Morgan Costello and Damien Monahan

In the early hours of 29th April, 2000, a fire was discovered in an upmarket flat in the seaside resort of Scheveningen, The Hague. Three occupants were found dead in the bathtub – young Irishmen Damien Monahan and Vincent and Morgan Costello.

Was the fire an accident, some sort of gangland hit, or something else altogether?

This episode was researched and written by Aileen Spearin.

Find us on Facebook or Twitter!

With thanks to our supporters on Patreon! Donate today to get access to bonus and ad-free episodes!

Check out the Mens Rea Merch Store!


Theme Music:

Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Additional Music:   Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/


Sources:

Isabel Conway, “Hunt for Dutch killers who set Irishman on fire”, Irish Independent, May 3rd 2000

Dan Collins and Isabel Conway, Clareman burned, brutally tortured in drugs war, Irish Examiner, May 3rd 2000

Dan Collins, “Drugs gang tortured, executed Irish trio”, Irish Examiner, May 4th 2000

Frank Khan, “Drugs slaughter, five Irish deaths feared by Interpol”, Irish Independent, May 4th 2000

Gordon Deegan, “Agonising wait for family to have worst confirmed”, Irish Examiner, May 5th 2000

Barry Roche, “Irishman shocked at being linked to murders”, Irish Examiner, May 5th 2000

Cian McCormack, “Information on Bansha brothers sent to Holland to help identify bodies”, Irish Examiner, May 5th 2000

Conor Keane, “Revenge possible motive behind brutal murders”, Irish Examiner, May 5th 2000

Martina Devlin, “Sun sea sand and quietly selling drugs for a living”, Irish Independent, May 6th 2000

Conor Sweeney, “Murdered men had only small drugs plant”, Irish Independent, May 6th 2000

Isabel Conway, “Blood death and butchery in a gangland tale of two cities”, Sunday Independent, May 7th 2000

Conor Sweeney, “Mother has to identify her murdered son”, Irish Independent, May 9th 2000

Mark Hennessey, “Bodies of Irish trio to be finally flown home for burial”, Irish Examiner, May 10th 2000

Patsy McArdle, “Monaghan seizure linked to killings”, Irish Examiner, May 10th 2000

Tom Brady and Conor Sweeney, “Dutch murders linked to row over drug debts”, Irish Independent, May 12th 2000

Gerry McInerney, “Murder victim flown home for burial”, Clare Champion, May 12th 2000

Gordon Deegan, “Dutch murder victims are brought home”, Irish Examiner, May 12th 2000

Mark Henessey, “Police arrest man linked to brutal drug killings”, Irish Examiner, May 12th 2000

“Bansha rallies behind stricken family”, Tipperary Star, May 13th 2000

Mark Henessey, “Man charged with killings of three Irishmen”, Irish Examiner, May 13th 2000

Eugene Hogan, “Murdered brother buried together”, Irish Independent, May 13th 2000

“Ennis mounts murder victim”, Clare Champion, May 19th 2000

Isabel Conway “Two are remanded over killings of Irishmen”, Irish Examiner, May 25th

Isabel Conway, “Two Dutchmen admit killing and mutilating Irish trio while out of their mind on drugs”, Irish Examiner, June 8th 2000

Isabel Conway, “Video nasty killer of trio trio faces trial”, Sunday Independent, Oct 29th 2000

Mark Hennessey, “Families of Irisgmen to attend Dutch trial of accused”, Irish Examiner, Oct 31st 2000

“Irish bodies are hidden in closer”, Evening Echo, Oct 31st 2000

Mark Hennessey, “Irishmen’s killers bungled bid to cut up bodies”, Irish Examiner, Nov 1st 2000

Mark Hennessey, “Murdered Irishman did not die immediately from wounds”, Irish Examiner, Nov 2nd 2000

Conor Sweeney, “Prosecution seeking life term for macabre crime”, Irish Independent, Nov 2nd 2000

Isabel Conway, “Killer of Ennis man deserves life in jail”, Clare Champion, Nov 3rd 2000

Conor Sweeney, “Sex, drugs and bullets”, Irish Independent, Nov 5th 2000

Eamon Lacey, “Killers of Bansha brothers go on trial”, Nationalist and Munster Advertiser, Nov 4th 2000

Conor Sweeney, “Hague duo get 28 years for vile murders”, Evening Herald, Nov 14th 2000

Isabel Conway, “Three Irishmen killed in an orgy of violence”, Irish Examiner, Nov 15th 2000

Conor Sweeney, “Fury at killers sentences”, Irish Independent, Nov 15th 2000

“Dutch killers punishments disappoints prosecutors”, Clare Champion, Nov 17th 2000

Isabel Conway, “Dutch want tougher sentences for the killers of Irishmen”, Irish Examiner, Nov 20th 2000

Isabel Conway, “Appeal on lenient jail terms for Dutch killers”. Irish Independent, Nov 20th 2000

Isabel Conway, “Irishmen’s killer will be locked up indefinitely”, Irish Independent, Jan 30th 2002

Owen Conlon, Psychopath who butchered three Irish men jailed in the Netherlands over grenade attack on two coffee shops”, Irish Sun, Oct 27th 2019