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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Nicola Donnelly

Preacher who oversaw Cornelius Price funeral speaks on camera from the graveside of "a man I led to Jesus"

An Evangelist preacher who oversaw the funeral and burial of mobster Cornelius Price has spoken how the notorious gangland figure’s “heart was changed through the compassion of God.”

Reverend Alex Johnson, who is based in the UK spoke in a video from Price's graveside at Manchester's Rochdale Cemetery the day after his funeral.

Drogheda gang boss Price - who was heavily involved in organised crime and responsible for at least six murders including that of tragic Willie Maughan and his pregnant partner Ana Varsalane - died in a Welsh hospital on Sunday, February 19 after being diagnosed with a brain disease since October 2021.

READ MORE: Pastor who prayed with psycho killer Cornelius Price believes he 'repented on his deathbed'

The preacher said in his video: “It’s Alex here, from the graveside of a man I led to Jesus in his hospital bed."

“The love of God just touched hearts. His name is Cornelius Price,” he said as he panned the camera to view the lavish floral tributes placed on the mobster’s grave.

“Hearts have been touched and an awareness of the love of God has come into many. The likes of which I have not seen before.

“Cornelius was a man whose heart was changed,” Rev Johnson said.

Earlier, in an interview with this reporter, Rev Johnson, who gave Price his last rites when he died in a Welsh hospital on Sunday, February 19, revealed he was “speechless” when informed of the psycho gangster’s evil background - but that the ruthless criminal “has repented his sins.”

When asked if he knew of Price’s criminal background would he have still anointed and prayed with him, Rev Dr Johnson said: “Absolutely. I still would have gone to him. He has repented his sins. He repented through me in prayer and I anointed him.

“I am fully convinced he could hear and understand every word I was saying. I believe he received salvation,” adding: “ "Who could say it was evil leaving him? My gift is healing. The guilt of sin left him.”

When informed that the remains of tragic Willie and Ana - both who are suspected to have been murdered by Price and his gang - still have not been found, Rev Dr Johnson said: “It would not surprise me they will be found.

“Because the things that were happening at the hospital were supernaturally miraculous when family members there found God, God says things that are hidden should be made known.”

Psycho gang boss Price was facing a trial in the UK for his part in a kidnap and blackmail plot but became ill in October 2021 with a brain disease and never stood trial.

The feared gangster - who lived at a fortified compound off the M1 in Gormanston, Co Meath which was described in an affidavit by a senior detective as “an enclave for criminality” - was behind much of the chaos in the Drogheda feud.

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