Walter Finch
A VIOLENT British gangster who a judge let loose on the streets of the Costa del Sol was, incredibly, already on bail over a separate attempted murder nearby last September.
The armed thug, who has TWICE drawn guns on police sent to arrest him, was bailed last week on manslaughter charges after throwing the punch which caused the death of a doorman at TOWIE star Elliott Wright’s restaurant.
Spanish police have now slammed the ‘prosecution error’, which they say ‘allowed such a dangerous man back onto the streets’ after his involvement in killing Jose Pisani at Olivia’s La Cala in Mijas.
The mafia hitman, 32, who we can reveal is called ‘Harry’, is described by police as ‘infamous on the Costa del Sol’.
He was already on bail since February for a mafia hit on a trio of Irishmen at the isolated Lago de los Tortugas (Turtle Lake), near Marbella, nine months ago.
Alarmingly, at both arrests, the hitman – whose initials were given officially as HGJS – had drawn a gun and pointed it at armed officers.
Guardia Civil sources told the Olive Press this week they believe it was a ‘mistake’ by the prosecutor’s office not to demand he be kept in jail.
“He is a very bad guy, I don’t know why he is free,” the source in Malaga said. “He shouldn’t have been bailed after the Lago de los Tortugas shooting.”
Another senior Guardia source added: “He’s well known here and we think he should be in jail.
“From a civilian perspective it simply doesn’t make sense, but sometimes judges make these decisions for whatever reason.”
During his most recent arrest, on April 18, Harry only put the weapon down after officers fired a warning shot while shouting ‘police’ as they broke down his front door.
Armed police dramatically handcuffed him over the death of 55-year-old Pisani at Olivia’s. The father-of-two was said to have been punched and fell, banging his head against the corner of a table.
CCTV footage from the restaurant allegedly shows the 6 foot 5 (195 cm) doorman trying to restrain a punter of a similar size.
The man, believed to be Harry, broke free and threw the punch that resulted in Pisani’s death.
After being arrested and charged with the crime, he was granted conditional bail by a Fuengirola judge after prosecutors bizarrely did not object.
The conditions were that he hand over his passport and report to the court on the first day of each month.
It is unknown why he had not apparently handed in his passport – or whether he had another – after his first arrest in February for his role as part of a hit squad targeting an Irish mafia gang on September 20.
According to reports, he had been brought in with five other British men to settle a score with a Dublin drug kingpin, known as ‘Mr Flashy’.
While two men managed to flee, one man, who has yet to be named, was shot in the side, but managed to make his way to Marbella hospital, where he needed stitches.
When police arrested the six heavily-armed men, they seized a Skorpion sub-machine gun capable of firing 850 rounds per minute and four other guns. Also found were bulletproof vests, balaclavas, machetes, tasers, and a hatchet, together with GPS trackers and a mobile signal blocker.
Despite the clear serious danger to society, a court officer told the Olive Press this week that they cannot comment on cases due to data protection rules.
But he added: “It’s the judge’s decision. Why he decided that I don’t know.”
Leading local lawyer, Antonio Flores, of Lawbird, in Marbella, insisted it was ‘very alarming’ and ‘seems like a monumental f*** up’
“It definitely seems like he should have been remanded in custody,” he told the Olive Press.
“Now you have a very dangerous guy at large with two potential charges.”
READ MORE:
- Judge bails suspect in TOWIE star’s doorman death on the Costa del Sol who is part of British hit squad already on bail for attempted murder
- Police arrest six British contract killers after ‘Mr Flashy pal’ shot in Marbella
- EXCLUSIVE: DNA results may prove skeletal remains in suitcase could belong to missing expat Agnese Klavina, who was kidnapped by Brits a decade ago
