Craigavon gangster Jim Carlisle, who was found dead in Maghaberry Prison, had survived shooting outside primary school

From Craigavon Jim Carlisle was a regular before the courts racketing more than 170 criminal convictions. Regarded as ruthless, Carlisle was involved in a multitude of crimes including armed robbery, theft, drug dealing, serious brutal assaults and threatening behaviour and there are allegations that he committed murder.

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The Firm, another criminal gang in Lurgan, had Carlisle on their hit list as they attempt to expand their drug dealing into the wider Craigavon area.

On March 21, 2016 James Carlisle was hit several times in a drive-by shooting close to the gates of St Brendan's Primary School in the Moyraverty area of Craigavon, just as children were getting out from school at 3pm. It is understood he went to the school, wearing a bullet proof vest, in order to pick up his young daughter who attended the school at that time. Frightened teachers ushered terrified school children back into the school while others hunkered down in a bus outside the school. Police arrived and ambulance staff treated Carlisle at the scene before rushing him to hospital. He survived that attack despite suffering significant injuries.

That did not deter him and the feud between Carlisle and his many rivals intensified.

When news of his death in prison surfaced on Friday most speculated that he had been killed in prison. However a Northern Ireland Prison Service spokesman confirmed the ‘death in custody yesterday of a 42-year-old man’.

The spokesperson said: “His next of kin has been informed. As is standard practice, the PSNI, Coroner and Prisoner Ombudsman have been informed. The Prison Service would like to extend its sympathy to the family of the man at this difficult time.”

In 2011 Carlisle had been in a feud with another criminal Hugh McGeough, another drug dealer, who was shot dead with his wife Jacqueline at their home in Legahory, Craigavon. Carlisle and his then side-kick Malcolm McKeown were charged with the murders but these charges were dropped in 2013.

McKeown was shot dead outside a filling station in Waringstown four years ago. While no one has claimed responsibility, it is understood McKeown was shot by members of The Firm. A number of people are facing charges following this murder.

Jim Carlisle was living in Harbour Road, Kilkeel at the time of the lastest charges before court which included attempted murder, inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, causing actual bodily harm and common assault, all said to be aggravated by domestic abuse and alleged to have been committed on 30 June this year. He also faced accusations of witness intimidation which related to a domestic incident on Friday June 30 this year.

Carlisle has also pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm, common assault, possession of a weapon (namely a knife) and attempted intimidation over an incident involving the brutal attack on another woman in the Craigavon area in October 2021. This woman was left blind in one eye.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police received a report of the sudden death of a man in HMP Maghaberry yesterday, Friday 14 July. The death is not being treated as suspicious.”

Funeral details have yet to be published.