Pearse McAuley Charged
PROMINENT Republican Pearse
McAuley appeared in court yesterday evening charged with assault causing harm to his
wife and three charges of threatening to kill.
Pearse 'Mad-Dog' McAuley at Cavan Court
McAuley was escorted to
Cavan District Court just before 5pm.
He sat silently during the
brief hearing before Judge Cormac Dunne.
Inspector Seamus Boyle told
the court that Mr McAuley made no reply when charged with the first offence of
causing harm.
That charge was under
Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.
Mr McAuley was also charged
under the same act with making threats to kill or commit serious harm to Mr
Seamus Leddy, who is understood to be a neighbour of Mrs McAuley’s at Kilnaleck,
Co Cavan, on Christmas Eve.
Insp Boyle told the court
that in reply to this charge Mr McAuley replied: “I don’t remember.”
McAuley was further charged
under the same Section 5 of threatening to kill or commit harm to Mr Thomas
Tully, brother of the injured party.
In reply to this charge,
Insp Boyle told the court that McAuley replied: “I don’t know how I could have
done that.”
The fourth charge, also
under Section 5 of the act, was that Mr McAuley threatened to kill or commit
serious harm to his wife, former Sinn Fein councillor Pauline Tully McAuley.
Insp Boyle said in reply to
this charge, McAuley replied: “I don’t say I was going to do it.”
He added: “I didn’t set out
to kill or harm Pauline McAuley.”
Solicitor for Mr McAuley,
Erinn McKernan, said her client was unemployed and applied for legal aid.
Judge Dunne granted the
application and remanded Mr McAuley in custody to appear before Harristown
District Court on January 2.
McAuley’s court appearance
came after he was released from hospital, where he had been treated for
“underlying medical issues”, into Garda custody on Friday night.
His wife suffered serious
injuries on Christmas Eve, but she is now said to be “doing well” and is
expected to recover.
