Widows of Eddie Lyons Jr and Ross Monaghan Launch Private Prosecution

FUENGIROLA – HIGRH NEWS: widows of Eddie Lyons Jr and Ross Monaghan have launched a private prosecution in Spain against Michael Riley, the man being investigated over the fatal shooting of the two Scottish men at a Fuengirola Irish pub. Jade Monaghan and Joanne Lyons have instructed Spanish lawyers to join the criminal proceedings as private prosecutors, bringing the families directly into a case that remains under judicial investigation — but what does their legal move mean for the case?

Widows of Eddie Lyons Jr and Ross Monaghan join Spanish proceedings

The widows of Eddie Lyons Jr and Ross Monaghan have taken legal action in Spain following the deaths of the two Scottish men in Fuengirola.

Jade Monaghan, the widow of Ross Monaghan, and Joanne Lyons, the widow of Eddie Lyons Jr, have instructed lawyers to exercise the Spanish legal mechanism known as acusación particular, or private prosecution.

The move allows the families to participate directly in the criminal proceedings rather than relying solely on the public prosecution process.

According to SUR in English, the lawyers representing the two women will be able to pursue the case within the Spanish judicial system and present their own position as the investigation progresses.

The development concerns Michael Riley, a Liverpool man who is being investigated in connection with the shooting at Monaghans Irish Pub in Fuengirola.

Riley is currently being held at Teixeiro prison in Galicia following his extradition from the United Kingdom to Spain.

The case remains in the investigation stage. An investigating judge in Fuengirola is responsible for directing the proceedings and must determine whether there is sufficient evidence to formally indict Riley.

That distinction is important. Being investigated or accused does not amount to a criminal conviction, and any responsibility for the deaths must ultimately be determined through the Spanish judicial process.

The decision by the two widows to become private prosecutors therefore gives the families a direct procedural role while the investigation continues.

Spanish law permits victims and certain relatives of people who have died as a result of an alleged crime to exercise criminal action within the proceedings. The Spanish Criminal Procedure Act expressly provides for this right in cases involving the death or disappearance of a victim.

What the private prosecution means for the Fuengirola case

The private prosecution mechanism gives the relatives their own legal representation within the criminal proceedings.

This is separate from the role played by the public prosecutor. Spanish criminal proceedings can therefore include the public prosecution as well as a private prosecution brought by victims or eligible relatives.

Under Article 109 bis of Spain’s Criminal Procedure Act, a spouse who has not been legally or factually separated can exercise criminal action following the death of a victim, subject to the procedural requirements established by law.

The law also allows several victims or eligible relatives to participate independently with their own legal representation, although a court can make arrangements concerning representation where necessary for the proper conduct of proceedings.

In practical terms, the lawyers representing the two widows can take part in the case and pursue the interests of their clients through the procedures available to a private prosecution.

SUR in English reports that the private lawyers can submit their own indictments, request alternative prison sentences or compensation levels and question defendants in court.

The families’ participation does not, however, determine the outcome of the investigation.

The investigating judge still has to assess the evidence collected during the proceedings. The prosecution and defence will also have their respective procedural rights.

If the case eventually proceeds to trial, the court will consider the evidence and arguments presented by the parties before reaching a decision in accordance with Spanish law.

For the families, the legal action means they can follow the proceedings through their own lawyers and participate in the case within the framework established by Spanish criminal procedure.

The shooting at Monaghans Irish Pub

The investigation centres on the deaths of Eddie Lyons Jr and Ross Monaghan, who were shot at Monaghans Irish Pub in Fuengirola.

The shooting took place on 31 May 2025.

The two victims were Scottish men and their deaths have been reported in connection with investigations into organised crime involving Scottish criminal groups.

However, the circumstances surrounding the killings must be distinguished from wider allegations involving organised crime.

The available reporting identifies separate investigations into alleged criminal activity and possible links between different groups. Those investigations do not automatically establish that every person mentioned in connection with organised crime was involved in the Fuengirola shooting.

The Spanish investigation is focused on determining what happened at the pub, identifying those responsible and establishing whether there is sufficient evidence to bring the case forward.

According to SUR in English, investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the possible criminal connections surrounding the case.

The article also reports that Spanish investigators had previously alleged that Riley was connected to a rival Scottish crime group and that he was preparing to leave for a tax haven when he was arrested in Liverpool.

Those are allegations attributed to Spanish police and should not be treated as findings of guilt.

Riley’s legal position remains subject to the ongoing proceedings.

The investigation must establish the evidence relevant to the alleged shooting before a court can determine criminal responsibility.

Michael Riley was extradited to Spain

Michael Riley was arrested in Liverpool following the investigation into the Fuengirola shooting.

He was subsequently extradited from the United Kingdom to Spain.

Following his arrival in Spain, Riley was placed in custody and is now being held at Teixeiro prison in Galicia, according to the report published by SUR in English.

His transfer to Galicia forms part of the wider judicial process surrounding his extradition and detention in Spain.

The fact that Riley remains in prison does not itself establish guilt.

Pre-trial detention and a criminal conviction are separate legal matters. A person can remain in custody while investigators and courts continue examining the allegations against them.

The Fuengirola investigating judge must therefore continue assessing the evidence before determining the next procedural steps.

The defence will also have the opportunity to exercise the rights provided under Spanish law.

This means that the case has not reached its final judicial stage.

A nine-member jury is expected if the case reaches trial

According to SUR in English, the case is expected to be heard by a nine-member jury if it proceeds to trial on murder charges.

That would place the case within Spain’s jury trial system.

The report says that a trial is not expected before 2027 at the earliest.

The timing depends on the progress of the investigation and subsequent procedural decisions. Before any trial can take place, the judicial authorities must complete the relevant stages of the case.

The current investigation therefore remains an important part of the proceedings.

The judge must determine whether the evidence supports moving from the investigation stage towards a formal prosecution and eventual trial.

The private prosecution launched by the two widows will operate within that same legal process.

Their lawyers can represent the interests of the families while the court continues to examine the allegations against Riley.

The outcome will ultimately depend on the evidence admitted and considered by the competent court.

Wider organised crime investigations remain separate

The Fuengirola case has also been reported alongside wider investigations involving Scottish organised crime.

One of the names appearing in the wider investigation is Steven Lyons, the brother of Eddie Lyons Jr.

According to SUR in English, Steven Lyons was arrested in Amsterdam in connection with Operation Arborum, a joint investigation targeting the Lyons gang and alleged links with the Kinahan cartel.

That investigation is separate from the question of whether Michael Riley can be held criminally responsible for the deaths at the Fuengirola pub.

The distinction matters because several investigations can involve related people or alleged criminal networks without establishing that every allegation forms part of the same offence.

The report also states that investigations into wider allegations of money laundering and organised crime involving seven other people arrested in Spain remain ongoing.

Those cases must likewise be assessed according to their own evidence and judicial proceedings.

No conviction should be inferred from an arrest, investigation or allegation.

For the families of Lyons and Monaghan, however, the latest development gives them a formal role in the criminal case concerning the deaths of their husbands.

The families now have their own legal representation

The decision by Jade Monaghan and Joanne Lyons to launch private prosecutions represents a significant procedural step for the families.

Rather than remaining outside the proceedings, the two widows have chosen to participate through lawyers acting on their behalf.

Spanish criminal procedure provides mechanisms for relatives of victims who died as a result of an alleged crime to exercise criminal action. Article 109 bis of the Criminal Procedure Act sets out who can exercise that right and under what circumstances.

The legislation also provides that victims who have not waived their rights can exercise criminal action before the relevant procedural stage, subject to the rules governing the timing of their participation.

This framework is intended to allow victims and eligible relatives to take part in criminal proceedings.

In the Fuengirola case, the private prosecution will therefore exist alongside the other parties involved in the proceedings.

The widows’ lawyers will be able to act on their clients’ behalf as the investigation develops.

Their involvement may also allow the families to make their own requests concerning the criminal and civil consequences of the alleged offence, within the limits of Spanish law.

The final outcome, however, remains a matter for the Spanish courts.

What happens next in the Fuengirola investigation?

The immediate focus remains on the judicial investigation.

The investigating judge must continue examining the available evidence and determine whether the case should progress towards a formal indictment and trial.

Riley remains in custody while those proceedings continue.

If the investigation eventually leads to a trial on murder charges, the case is expected to be considered by a nine-member jury, according to SUR in English.

The private prosecution launched by the two widows will form part of that legal process.

For the families, the decision provides a direct route into the proceedings through their own lawyers.

For the court, the central issue remains the evidence surrounding the deaths of Eddie Lyons Jr and Ross Monaghan and the alleged role of the accused.

The wider allegations concerning organised crime, money laundering and links between criminal groups remain matters for separate investigations and should not be confused with a judicial finding of responsibility for the Fuengirola killings.

At this stage, the case remains unresolved.

The next significant developments will depend on the investigating judge’s decisions, the evidence gathered by the authorities and the procedural actions taken by the prosecution, defence and private prosecutors.

The involvement of the two widows ensures that the families will now have their own legal representatives inside that process as the Spanish investigation moves forward.

Official legal source:

Spanish Criminal Procedure Act — BOE

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the widows involved in the case?

Jade Monaghan is the widow of Ross Monaghan, while Joanne Lyons is the widow of Eddie Lyons Jr. Both have instructed lawyers to participate in the Spanish proceedings.

What is a private prosecution in Spain?

It allows victims or eligible relatives to participate directly in criminal proceedings through their own legal representation, alongside the public prosecution.

Who is Michael Riley?

Michael Riley is a Liverpool man who is being investigated in connection with the fatal shooting of Eddie Lyons Jr and Ross Monaghan at a Fuengirola pub.

Will the case go to trial?

The investigation is still ongoing. SUR in English reports that, if the case proceeds on murder charges, it is expected to be heard by a nine-member jury, with a trial not expected before 2027 at the earliest…….MORE