Sources say Gerald Dunne (49), who brutally murdered Liam Thompson in Dublin’s Dolphin’s Barn in January 1999, now uses a vocal aid to help him speak after he became critically ill over a year ago.
Gerald Dunne(Image: Collins)
A ruthless killer who has been behind bars for over 27 years is applying for parole – as he battles life changing health problems.
Sources say Gerald Dunne (49), who brutally murdered Liam Thompson in Dublin’s Dolphin’s Barn in January 1999, now uses a vocal aid to help him speak after he became critically ill over a year ago. Dunne, who is among Ireland’s longest serving prisoners, is now understood to be eligible for parole – and believes he will finally be freed after almost three decades behind bars.
Sources say he is lucky to be alive after becoming critically ill in 2025 – and now speaks with a device due to life changing health issues. Dunne, who had an address at Rafters Avenue in Drimnagh, went through three trials for the stabbing death of Liam Thompson – and has been behind bars since the end of January 1999. He was first convicted of the murder in 2001, but the that was quashed on appeal.
A second trial collapsed, but he was finally convicted again of Mr Thompson’s murder after a fresh trial in May 2004. Dunne, who had denied murder, stabbed Mr Thompson to death during a row that started over the use of a call box.
His eight day trial heard that Mr Thompson’s grandfather had been buried on the day of the murder. After the funeral, relatives went for a drink in the Rialto House pub off the South Circular Road. One left the pub later that night to get a taxi home and it was alleged in court that he got into a fight with Dunne at the call box.
The relative told the trial that Dunne threatened to give him the virus – HIV – during the fight. Mr Thompson and two other men then ran to help the relative and the fight broke up. But Dunne and two other men went after the relative and Mr Thompson – who was stabbed with a knife.
Then State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy told the Central Criminal Court trial of Dunne that Mr Thompson suffered a fatal wound to his heart, as well as injuries to his abdomen and abrasions to the head and neck. In 2019, he hit the headlines after he failed in a High Court bid to challenge his jail disciplinary process. In a search of his Wheatfield Prison cell in November 2017, officers found an improvised knife wrapped in tissue paper under his mattress.
They also found an almost full bag of razor blades on a shelf in the cell. Dunne claimed the items had been planted as others had access to his open cell while he was doing prison work.
He also claimed he did not use the shelf on which the blades were found as he could not reach it – but prison authorities said it was 4ft high. He was found responsible for the items and sanctioned by prison bosses – but he appealed that decision. That appeal was rejected by the High Court.
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