Pizza delivery driver Kieran McManus who was shot dead in March last year

DETECTIVES have arrested a 58 year old man in connection with the murder of pizza delivery driver Kieran McManus in west Belfast in March last year.

The suspect was arrested in Belfast and has been taken to Antrim Serious Crime suite for questioning by officers from the Terrorist Investigation Unit.

Kieran, 26, from west Belfast, died after being shot outside Domino’s pizza outlet at the DC Enterprise Centre on Kennedy Way on 30 March 2013.

Police believe the murder is linked to a dispute between McManus and dissident republicans in west Belfast and also a court case.

Belfast Daily first revealed last year that in February 2010, Kieran and Joseph McManus were remanded in custody over an attack on a man in Turf Lodge.

Police said the man temporarily lost his sight and hearing, and had to undergo major surgery to reconstruct his arm after the incident on Friday.

Joseph McManus, 24, and Kieran McManus, then 23, of Norglen Parade, who denied the charges, were accused of trying to kill Michael Smith.

The victim is believed to have been attacked with a sword or a machete.

The brothers each face further charges of affray and threatening to kill another man, Edward Devine.

Both were also accused of possessing offensive weapons – Kieran McManus a bladed instrument and Joseph McManus a wooden baton.

Joseph McManus faced an additional charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to Edward Devine.

They were remanded in custody to appear again after no bail application was made at Belfast Magistrates Court.

The murder scene in west Belfast where Kieran McManus was shot dead on Easter Saturday night

The murder scene in west Belfast where Kieran McManus was shot dead on Easter Saturday night

A detective sergeant who said he could connect them with the offences, confirmed both suspects denied the charges during interviews.

The court heard counter-allegations have been made that they were themselves assaulted, with three car-loads of men said to have arrived at the scene.

It was alleged that one of those on “the other side” claimed to be from the Continuity IRA, and another from the Oglaigh na hEireann grouping.

The detective stressed the seriousness of the victim’s wounds, and produced a photograph of the car which transported him to hospital.

He told the court: “His injuries were such that had he been delayed in getting to hospital a few minutes later, hospital staff have informed us he would almost certainly have died.”

The victim was said to have lost hearing and sight for a time, and initially declined to speak to police.

“The update is that he had to undergo eight hours of surgery to reconstruct his arm and is going under further surgery today,” the officer added.

Photographs and DNA samples were to be taken from him as part of the investigation, the court heard.

During questioning, defence solicitor Michael Crawford disclosed that men claiming to be from the Continuity IRA have put the accused’s mother and sister out of their home.

The officer confirmed he was aware of further incidents over the weekend which would be probed.