MAN KILLED DUTCH CRIMINAL TO SETTLE SCORES

An Irishman was brought in to kill a leading Dutch crime boss and
drugs baron to settle old scores, his trial in the city of
Hertogenbosch heard yesterday.

Mr Derek Aidan Dalton (31), from Dublin (no address given), and living
in Birmingham in recent years, has been in custody since the killing
of Noud Waterschoot (45), one of the most infamous criminals in the
Netherlands, on the Market Square in the town of Valkenswaard, close
to the Belgian border, on May 26th.

The Dutch Public Prosecutor demanded that Mr Dalton be jailed for 15
years, a life term under Dutch law.

The criminal was shot dead through his car window as he was stopped at
traffic lights, the trial heard. Dozens of people witnessed the
shooting but none positively identified Mr Dalton or the Dutchman
accused with him in connection with the killing.

However, many witnesses saw the getaway car and noted its number and
what the killer was wearing.

Mr Dalton and a Dutch national, Mr Antonius van Bommel, were stopped
at a police checkpoint in the getaway car soon afterwards. The
baseball cap allegedly worn by the killer was concealed behind Mr
Dalton's trouser belt, and the jacket allegedly worn by the assassin
was stuffed behind a car seat. Both men had traces of shrapnel on
their hands. But the pistol used in the murder was never found. Mr
Dalton described himself as a businessman and wore a grey pinstriped
suit in court.

He told the court he was very nervous and had nothing further to add
to his police statement, explaining that he came to Holland to visit a
cousin in Amsterdam and pay back a loan to him. Afterwards he decided
to do some sightseeing, and a friend, his co-accused, who has
convictions in the Netherlands for drugs and arms offences, was
helping him with the renewal of his Irish passport, which had just
expired. He denied knowing the murdered man or any knowledge of the
killing.

Dutch judges will give their verdict on December 9th.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry