Brixton jail-breaker Pearse McCauley was yesterday charged with the capital murder of Det Garda Jerry McCabe. The garda was shot dead during an abortive IRA raid on a post-office delivery van in Limerick in June 1996.
McCauley (32), from Strabane, Co Tyrone, with no fixed address, was charged at the Special Criminal Court with the capital murder of Det Garda McCabe at Adare, Co Limerick, on June 7th, 1996.
He was also charged with IRA membership on the same date, the attempted murder of Det Garda Ben O'Sullivan at Adare on June 7th, conspiring with Jeremiah Sheehy, Michael O'Neill and others between June 5th and June 8th, 1996 to commit a robbery at Adare, and possessing firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life at Adare on June 7th, 1996. The capital murder charge carries a mandatory sentence of 40 years' imprisonment without remission on conviction.
McCauley, who escaped with Nessan Quinlivan from Brixton prison in July 1991, is wanted in Britain for conspiracy to murder former brewery chairman Sir Charles Tidbury and conspiracy to cause explosions in the UK in November 1990 and escaping from lawful custody.
McCauley was arrested in Co Galway last October and the High Court in Dublin cleared the way for his extradition to Britain but he was brought before the Special Criminal Court and charged with firearms and ammunition offences.
Yesterday, Det Insp John Kerin gave evidence of handing McCauley a copy of the charges in the cells area of the courthouse at 11.22 a.m.
McCauley was remanded in custody until February 17th when the trial of two other men already charged with Det Garda McCabe's murder is due to go ahead.
They are Mr Jeremiah Sheehy (36), of Abbey Park, Rathkeale, Co Limerick, and Mr Michael O'Neill (46), of Lisheen Park, Patrickswell, Co Limerick. Yesterday, they were charged with having two rifles, a handgun and a shotgun and three shotgun cartridges at Clonolea, Toomevara, Nenagh, Co Tipperary on June 7th, 1996. They were also charged with possessing bullets and shotgun cartridges at Adare, Co Limerick on the same date.
The two men were remanded in custody for trial on February 17th.