Pearse mcauley is facing life lawyer

Paul Neilan

Prominent Republican Pearse McAuley was yesterday (Thursday, March 19) told by his own lawyer that he faces life imprisonment if found guilty over alleged threats to kill and of false imprisonment on St Stephen’s Day last year.
Mr McAuley (50) is charged with assault causing harm to his wife and a former Sinn Féin councillor, Pauline Tully, at her home at Keelderry, Kilnaleck and with eight charges of threatening to kill four people relating to the same incident.
He is further charged with assault causing harm to Ms Tully and of assault, false imprisonment and production of a knife during the course of a dispute or fight.

No bail application
Mr McAuley appeared in Cavan Circuit Court, in custody with no visible scarring since his last appearance and did not speak in the five-minute hearing.
Judge Denis McLoughlin heard from Mr McAuley’s solicitor, Alan Gannon, that there was to be no bail application “at this moment” and that the Book of Evidence was confirmed as served by Inspector Seamus Boyle of Cavan Garda Station, at the behest of the Director of Public Prosecutions, via prosecuting Sergeant Micheal Fitzpatrick of Kilnaleck Garda Station.

Sent forward
Mr Gannon told the court that the charges of threatening to kill and false imprisonment, if proven, could amount to “life” imprisonment.
Mr McAuley with an address listed as Apartment 2, 1 Canal Walk, Ballyconnell, is charged with threatening to kill four people, not named in court but two of which were named at a previous sitting as neighbour Seamus Leddy and Ms Tully’s brother, Thomas. His case was sent forward to Cavan Circuit Court for June 3 with free legal aid approved for a senior and junior counsel. No plea was entered by Mr McAuley at the midday hearing.