Michael Riley, a 44-year-old man from Huyton, Liverpool, finds himself at the center of a high-profile international legal battle following his arrest on charges of murdering two Scottish crime gang members in Spain. The case, which has drawn attention on both sides of the English Channel, highlights the enduring violence of Glasgow’s underworld and raises pressing questions about prisoner safety and human rights in cross-border criminal proceedings.
According to BBC and The Times, Riley stands accused of fatally shooting Ross Monaghan, 43, and Eddie Lyons Jnr, 46, at Monaghans Bar in Fuengirola, a popular spot on the Costa del Sol, on May 31, 2025. Both victims were deeply connected to the Lyons family, a name synonymous with Scotland’s organized crime scene and, notably, with a bloody feud that has raged for 25 years against the rival Daniel crime clan.
The events of that late May evening were as dramatic as they were tragic. Lyons Jnr and Monaghan were reportedly enjoying the Champions League final with friends at the beachfront bar when the violence erupted. As eyewitnesses later recounted, Lyons Jnr was shot outside the bar—struck down by a single bullet. CCTV footage, reviewed by Spanish authorities, captured the assailant pursuing Monaghan inside the establishment before shooting him dead. The chilling clarity of the video evidence left little doubt as to the sequence of events, and soon after, Spanish police issued an international arrest warrant for Riley.
In June 2025, Merseyside police acted swiftly, apprehending Riley in Liverpool under the terms of the Spanish warrant. While the arrest itself was uneventful, the legal and human ramifications have since grown increasingly complex. Riley’s fate now hangs in the balance, as he awaits a full extradition hearing that could see him transferred to Spanish custody to face trial for the double homicide.
At a brief procedural hearing—known as a "call over"—at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 29, 2025, Riley did not appear in person. His absence, however, did little to diminish the gravity of the proceedings. His defense counsel, Renata Pinter, set out the core of Riley’s case against extradition: a deep-seated fear for his safety if he were to be held in a Spanish prison. Pinter argued, “Mr Riley suffers from depression and anxiety and would be in fear of his life from other gang members if detained in a Spanish prison.” She further emphasized that their legal submissions would be grounded in Article 3 of the Human Rights Act, which unequivocally “prohibits everyone from being subjected to torture, or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
To bolster Riley’s claims, Pinter told the court that a psychiatric report detailing his mental health struggles, as well as an expert report on prison conditions in Spain, would be submitted before the main extradition hearing. These reports, she said, would be prepared by a recognized criminologist specializing in Spanish prisons, with the findings expected to be available within days. The defense’s strategy is clear: to demonstrate that extradition would expose Riley to a real risk of harm, potentially violating his fundamental rights under UK and European law.
District Judge John Zani, presiding over the case, acknowledged the seriousness of the arguments but ruled that Riley must remain in custody until further proceedings. The next call over is scheduled for October 3, 2025, with the full extradition hearing set for November 20, 2025. The judge’s decision reflects the gravity of the charges and the international dimension of the case, but also the need to carefully consider the human rights issues raised by the defense.
The backdrop to this legal drama is the long-standing and violent feud between the Lyons and Daniel crime families. As reported by BBC, Malaga-based Spanish police chief Pedro Agudo Novo previously described Riley as a member of the Daniel gang. The rivalry between these two Glasgow-based clans dates back to 2001 and has been marked by a series of tit-for-tat attacks, shootings, and murders that have left a trail of devastation across Scotland and, increasingly, abroad. The deaths of Monaghan and Lyons Jnr are only the latest—and perhaps most high-profile—casualties in a vendetta that has spanned a quarter of a century.
The international reach of these gangs is not lost on law enforcement. The Costa del Sol, long known for its sunny beaches and British expatriate community, has also gained a reputation as a haven for organized crime figures seeking to escape the scrutiny of UK authorities. The murder of two prominent Scottish gang members in such a setting underscores the global nature of modern criminal networks and the challenges faced by police and prosecutors in bringing suspects to justice.
Riley’s legal team, for their part, are determined to highlight the risks their client would face if extradited. The specter of reprisals from rival gang members in a Spanish prison is not, they argue, a mere hypothetical. The history of the Lyons-Daniel feud suggests that violence can—and does—follow its participants far beyond Glasgow’s streets. As Pinter put it in court, “He would be in fear of his life from other gang members if detained in a Spanish prison.” The defense’s reliance on Article 3 of the Human Rights Act speaks to the broader principle that even those accused of the most serious crimes retain certain inalienable rights.
Prosecutors, meanwhile, are expected to argue that the severity of the charges and the strength of the evidence—including the damning CCTV footage—justify Riley’s extradition. The Spanish authorities, after all, have a vested interest in prosecuting violent crimes on their soil and in sending a message that the Costa del Sol is not a safe haven for international criminals. The outcome of the November hearing could set an important precedent for future cross-border cases involving organized crime and human rights concerns.
As the legal wrangling continues, the families of Monaghan and Lyons Jnr are left to grapple with their loss. For the wider public, the case offers a sobering glimpse into the world of gangland feuds, the reach of criminal networks, and the complexities of international justice. The next steps in Riley’s case—first the October call over, then the full hearing in November—will be watched closely by legal experts, police, and, no doubt, the rival clans whose conflict continues to cast a long shadow over Scotland and beyond.
For now, Michael Riley remains in custody, his fate uncertain, as the British and Spanish legal systems prepare to decide whether he will face trial in the country where the bloodshed occurred.
