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Police remove evidence four months after Davison murder

Kevin McGuigan was shot outside his home earlier this month in revenge for for the murder of Gerard 'Jock' Davison
Kevin McGuigan was shot outside his home earlier this month in revenge for for the murder of Gerard 'Jock' Davison Kevin McGuigan was shot outside his home earlier this month in revenge for for the murder of Gerard 'Jock' Davison

Police have refused to comment on whether they removed a ledger book from a dockside gym linked to the investigation into the murder of Gerard 'Jock' Davison four months ago.

Last week The Irish News revealed that Kevin McGuigan, shot dead in revenge for the murder of the former IRA commander in May, had cited his presence at the gym as an alibi on the morning Mr Davison was shot.

The 53-year-old fitness fanatic told detectives he'd been at the gym and had signed his name along with the time in a ledger used to log in and out of the city centre premises.

However, police only removed the book from the gym on Tuesday of this week.

When asked by the Irish News if police had searched the premises in relation to the murder investigation and removed items a spokesperson would only say; "Police were conducting enquiries into serious crime in the Pilot Street area of Belfast".

Police would not clarify if it was in relation to the murder investigation or if the log in book had been removed.

Police have confirmed that they had spoke to Mr McGuigan on three occasions following the murder of the 47-year-old republican but said it was as a witness.

Former members of the IRA, who carried out their own 'investigation' into the murder however, disputed this after learning that Mr McGuigan had keys to the gym and was using it during the night when it was closed to the public.

An eye witness also told IRA members that they had seen Mr McGuigan in Upper Stanfield Street at the time of the murder.. The witness is believed to be a hard line republican has refused to to cooperate with the police investigation.

The witness also reported seeing another person who is believed to have removed the Russian Makarov gun used in the killing from the scene. The gun, one of a batch smuggled into Ireland via an Eastern European crime gang, has never been recovered.

Meanwhile 47-year-old Mark McDowell, arrested on Tuesday in connection with the murder of Kevin McGuigan, was released yesterday afternoon unconditionally.

The east Belfast man was arrested in dramatic fashion at lunchtime on Tuesday by armed tactical support group officers in front of shocked shoppers in Castle Street in Belfast city centre.

To date 11 people have been arrested in connection with the shooting of the father-of-nine, one man has been charged with possession of a weapon with eight men and two women released unconditionally.