on the loose | 

Manhunt for ‘erratic’ escaped prisoner suspected of nationwide crime spree

The 48-year-old, who has over 100 previous convictions, including being unlawfully at large from custody, escaped from Loughan House open prison in county Cavan on October 7.

Yesterday at 15:14

A violent criminal who has escaped from prison is suspected of carrying out a crime wave across the country in recent days.

The inmate, who is originally from Dublin, is being investigated for involvement in a number of armed robberies since fleeing from custody earlier this month.

Detectives have put out an alert out for the career criminal, who is now being investigated for crimes across three counties.

The 48-year-old, who has over 100 previous convictions, including being unlawfully at large from custody, escaped from Loughan House open prison in county Cavan on October 7.

That same day he is suspected of stealing a car in the Manorhamilton area of Leitrim, located around 20km from the jail.

Gardaí investigating two armed raids in Westmeath and Kildare this week also believe the on-the-run prisoner was involved.

One incident occurred at a shop in Kinnegad, during which staff at a petrol station were threatened by a man armed with a knife.

The raider was confronted by a worker and fled the scene empty handed.

Later that day, gardaí were alerted to a similar robbery at a shop in Maynooth, when staff were threatened by an individual holding a knife.

Gardaí believe that the violent criminal was involved in all three incidents and are currently searching for the suspect.

A spokesperson for the Irish Prison Service said they “can confirm a prisoner absconded from Loughan House on the 7 October 2023”.

“An Garda Siochana have been notified. When a prisoner absconds, An Garda Síochána are informed and they have the power to detain, arrest, and return such persons to prison.”

Loughan House is a low security, open prison for inmates who are regarded as requiring lower levels of security.

One source said: “This individual is an extremely erratic offender and gardaí are currently making efforts to detain him and return him to custody.

“That will be the immediate aim while the investigations into the robberies and unauthorised taking he is suspected of are continuing.”

The escaped criminal is originally from Dublin but has resided in the north-west as well as in Co Meath in the past.

The prolific offender is currently serving a six-year jail term over a home invasion during which he threatened to kill a family including two young children.

During that crime, in Co Donegal, the man claimed to be a member of a deadly criminal gang when he targeted the family home days before Christmas.

At one stage he threatened to petrol bomb the couple’s house while also grabbing their two young children, saying he would kill them.

He has also been previously investigated over a shooting incident and his other prior convictions include firearms offences, burglary, robbery, escaping from lawful custody, assault, trespass and larceny.

One of his longest prison sentences was imposed over a decade ago when he was jailed for eight years over an armed raid in which a shotgun was produced.

The suspect has also been charged in the past over an incident in which he lead armed gardaí on a high-speed chase across two counties after fleeing from a garda checkpoint.