THE Brixton prison escaper Pearse McAuley has broken his bail conditions and is on the run from the Garda, which may seek a warrant for his arrest. McAuley was freed on bail in December, pending his High Court appeal against British extradition warrants.
Gardai said yesterday that McAuley had not signed on at Nenagh Garda Station in Co Tipperary since June 16th. Under his bail conditions he was "required to report to gardai at Nenagh every day.
McAuley, from Strabane, Co Tyrone, had been living with his fiancee's family in Borrisokane, Co Tipperary. It is understood that he did not report to gardai at any particular time during the day or night, but would come in at random.
In December, a senior garda told the High Court that McAuley should not be given bail. But the judge said that the court's hands were tied by the bail laws.
Det Supt John McElligott of the Garda Crime Branch said that both McAuley and his associate, Nessan Quinliven, were wanted in Britain on charges of escaping from Brixton prison and malicious wounding of a person at the scene of the escape. Both men were armed during the escape and they took a prison officer hostage, hijacking a vehicle and shooting and wounding a motorist.
Under the bail terms, McAuley was required to live with his fiancee's relatives in Co Tipperary and report to Nenagh Garda Station every day. Quinliven was ordered to live with his parents at Ballynanty Beg, Co Limerick, and report daily to Mayorstone Garda Station in Limerick. It is understood that Quinliven has been fulfilling his bail conditions.
Both were granted bail on their own bonds of £10,000 each and independent sureties of £60,000 each. In the case of McAuley, this money was put up by Mr Dick Quinn, of Faha, Patrickswell, Co Limerick, and Mr John McGettigan, of Glenard Park, Letterkenny, Co Donegal.
The judge was told that it could take 12 to 18 months for the courts to hear their appeals against extradition orders.
In November, 1995, the two men were refused bail. Mr Justice Murphy said he had refused bail because both had escaped from custody in England rather than stand trial. They were due to stand trial in London in January, 1992, accused of conspiracy to murder the former brewery executive, Sir Charles Tidbury, and with causing explosions.
When McAuley was arrested on Good Friday, 1993, on the platform of Connolly Station in Dublin he had a 9 mm Taurus pistol" and 20 rounds of ammunition. He was sentenced in the Special Criminal Court to seven years imprisonment. He smiled, waved to friends in the public gallery" and said: "It's better than English justice."
He served two years and was released, along with Quinliven, from Portlaoise Prison in November, 1995, as part of the Government's early release programme following the IRA, ceasefire. Both men were re-arrested on their release on four British extradition warrants.
On December 11th, the president of the District Court, Judge Peter Smithwick, ordered their extradition. A week later, that decision was appealed to the High Court and bail was granted.
