Mccauley guilty of attack on wife threat to kill

Paul Neilan
In Cavan Circuit Court

Prominent Republican Pearse McCauley has pleaded guilty to four serious charges at a Cavan court yesterday, Wednesday, June 3, over his Christmas Eve knife attack on his estranged wife.
McCauley (50), originally from Strabane, Co Tyrone with an address listed at Apt 2, Block 1, Canal Bank Walk, Ballyconnell, also Co Cavan, pleaded guilty to the production of a knife in the course of a dispute at Keelderry, Kilnaleck, Cavan, on December 24 last year at the home of former Sinn Fein Councillor Pauline Tully, formerly known as Tully-McCauley.
McCauley appeared in custody from Castlerea Prison at Cavan Circuit Circuit at the midday hearing, also pleading to causing serious harm to her and of her false imprisonment on the same date.
McCauley also admitted to threatening to kill her brother, Tommy Tully, during the same incident. Ms Tully was in the courthouse for briefings with lawyers but did not enter the courtroom.
McCauley, dressed in a grey suit, smiled and waved to two women at the rear of the court prior to the hearing and exited, in handcuffs, chatting with them. He spoke only to answer “guilty” to each of the charges and thank the judge. His defence counsel, Eanna Mulloy SC, told the court McCauley has been in Castlerea since the assault and asked Judge John D O’Hagan if sentencing could be put back until after Christmas.
Judge O’Hagan, however, after argument from prosecuting barrister Monica Lawlor BL, remanded McCauley in custody in Castlerea to appear at the same court in November, when he could be sentenced - the maximum sentence for threat-to-kill is life. A victim impact statement from Ms Tully and a probation and welfare report on McCauley are then to be available to the court.