An accused hitman facing charges for the shootings of two Scottish gang members on the Costa del Sol is concerned about potential retaliation if he is imprisoned in Spain.
Michael Riley, aged 44, stands accused of the murders of Ross Monaghan, 43, and Eddie Lyons Jnr, 46, who were affiliated with the Lyons crime family, a prominent organized crime group in western Scotland. The killings took place at Monaghan’s Bar in Feungirola on May 31.
Riley was apprehended by Merseyside police on June 13 following an international arrest warrant issued by Spanish authorities. Despite the legal proceedings, Riley, hailing from Huyton, Liverpool, was absent from the recent court session at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, with his extradition hearing scheduled for a later date.
His defense lawyer, Renata Pinter, emphasized Riley’s mental health issues, citing his struggles with depression and anxiety. Pinter expressed concerns about potential threats from rival gang members if Riley were to be detained in a Spanish prison. Plans are in place to submit a psychiatric assessment and a report detailing Spanish prison conditions before the extradition hearing slated for November.
District Judge John Zani ruled that Riley will remain in custody until the next hearing on October 3, with the full extradition proceeding set for November 20.
The fatal incident occurred while Lyons Jnr and Monaghan were watching the Champions League final at the bar, where Lyons Jnr tragically succumbed to a gunshot wound outside, while Monaghan was fatally shot inside the pub by an assailant captured on CCTV.
Pedro Agudo Novo, the police chief in Malaga, identified Riley as a member of the Daniels gang, which has been embroiled in a prolonged conflict with the Lyons gang.