He’s the hitman for hire who claims to have turned his life around - and nowadays Alan Wilson says he is writing poetry and staying away from his former gang, the Kinahans, while behind bars. Just weeks ago, the sinister criminal begged a judge to be lenient and claimed he would live an honest life when allowed to go free. But at the Special Criminal Court, Justice Tara Burns said Wilson, who has twice pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder, was involved in a ‘highly sophisticated, meticulously planned attack in front of a large group of civilians which left two victims with lifelong injuries. She gave him 10 years and refused to backdate the sentence. So who is Alan Wilson and has he really gone straight? Nicola Tallant talks to journalist and author Stephen Breen about the two faces of Wilson and how the callous mobster can switch from loving family man to black-hearted killer in the blink of an eye.