Dangerous criminal Leroy Dumbrell worked for Brian ‘King Ratt’ Rattigan’s mob

DANGEROUS criminal Leroy Roche Dumbrell worked as an enforcer for Brian ‘King Ratt’ Rattigan’s mob, The Irish Sun can reveal.

As Dumbrell, 37, begins a two-year sentence handed down earlier this month over a brutal attack, we outline how he was identified as one of 22 key Rattigan associates by Gardai under ‘Operation Respite’.

The thug — who has a “propensity for violence” — was recruited by Rattigan to collect debts from vulnerable addicts after his release from prison in 2012.

During his time in Rattigan’s mob, he was also classified as Rattigan’s “main enforcer” in the Basin Street and Inchicore areas of the capital.

Although Rattigan was in prison over the killing of Fat Freddie Thompson’s pal Declan Gavin in 2001, he still had a loyal group of thugs running his drug dealing empire in the south inner city.

When targeted by cops during a crackdown on his gang, the Gardai’s Emergency Response Unit were used to storm Dumbrell’s hideouts over fears he had access to weapons.

Our exclusive images show the moment the ERU raided his old home in Inchicore.

Dumbrell — who changed his name to Roche — no longer lives there after moving to Co Kildare with his new partner.

The streets of the capital are safer now after his conviction last week.

One investigator told us: “Leroy Dumbrell was one of the most dangerous criminals Gardai in the South Central Division ever encountered.

“If there was an operation to arrest him, the only way it could be done was with the Emergency Response Unit.

“He was never afraid to use extreme forms of violence against anyone — including the Gardai.

“Dumbrell was the perfect recruit for Rattigan because he had such a violent reputation in the south inner city.

“His job was to collect small debts from vulnerable drug addicts and when they didn’t pay up, he dished out a beating. Due to his violent reputation, many of the people he terrorised refused to make any kind of statement against him.”

‘NOT AFRAID TO USE VIOLENCE’

Now prison officers are concerned about his return to prison.
One senior source told us: “He’s not afraid to use violence against prison officers when he’s inside.

“A management plan will now be put in place to ensure he doesn’t display levels of violence within the prison system. The danger is that he could be manipulated to intimidate other inmates.”

We can also reveal the identity of the man he was convicted of assaulting. On the morning of August 30, 2022, Dumbrell travelled into Dublin city centre to buy drugs. After arriving at Essex Quay, he attacked Tony Dempsey, who had been living in the Bridewell area.

When cops from Pearse Street Garda Station responded, Dempsey refused to make any complaint.

The assault victim was attacked again the following month in a separate incident, and was then killed by someone else.

His body remained at his flat for a number of days as people arrived to use drugs.

But Dumbrell — who has 81 previous convictions — was later identified on CCTV by officers and arrested.

At his sentence hearing last week, Judge Jonathan Dunphy told the Circuit Criminal Court people would be “afraid” of meeting people like Dumbrell in the city centre.

The court also heard how the thug had a “staggering history” of offending. Dumbrell once poured boiling water over a frail OAP.

He also left a bank worker blind in one eye during a robbery in 2004.

Leroy will now join his older brothers in jail. Siblings Warren and Jeffrey are currently serving life for the murder of innocent dad-of-six Christy Cawley, 33.