Dessie O'Hare moved ahead of early release

Dessie O'Hare, who is serving a 40-year sentence for the kidnap and mutilation of a dentist, has been moved to Castlerea Prison in preparation for his release under the Belfast Agreement.

Former INLA member O'Hare, nicknamed the "Border Fox", was jailed 14 years ago for the kidnapping of Dr John O'Grady and has been held since at Portlaoise prison.

At Castlerea, O'Hare is to be held in the Grove section, whereinmates live in houses prior to release.

O'Hare triggered a major manhunt when his gang kidnapped Mr O'Grady in Cabinteely, Co Dublin, in October 1987, holding him in a basement in Parkgate Street, Dublin.

When a ransom demand for Mr O'Grady, a son-in-law of millionaire businessman Dr Austin Darragh, was not met, O'Hare chopped the tops off two of Mr O'Grady's fingers and left them along with a photo of the stumps in a cathedral.

After three weeks on the run, he was arrested during a shoot-out in which he was injured and a companion was killed.

Lawyers for O'Hare argued in the High Court in 2000 that he qualifies for release under the terms of the Belfast Agreement as he was a member of the INLA at the time of his arrest.

O'Hare claimed he was the operating commander of the INLA wing in Portlaoise prison. He said the group was on "a recognised ceasefire" he said, adding that he was in "total support" of the Belfast Agreement.

He was granted "qualified prisoner" status by the then-Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr O'Donoghue in November 2000.

Three of O'Hare's accomplices, Mr Edward Hogan, Mr Fergal Toal and Mr Anthony McNeill, have already been released.

With Mr Hogan and Mr Seán Hughes, O'Hare applied for early release under the terms of the Belfast Agreement in May 2000. Mr Hogan and Mr Hughes were freed 18 days later.