Escaped murderer absconded before

A murderer who escaped while on temporary release yesterday had escaped from an open prison in Britain four years ago. Gardai in north Dublin were last night searching for the man, described as "dangerous" by a prison source.

Brian Kiely (40) was accompanied by two prison officers yesterday afternoon on temporary release to visit his father's house in north Dublin. He is believed to have jumped through the window of the house in Mellowes Avenue, Finglas West. A Department of Justice spokesman said there would be an inquiry.

Kiely was transferred from Wandsworth Prison, London, to Dublin's Mountjoy Prison in May 1997. He had been given a life sentence in September 1979, at the British Central Criminal Court for murder, robbery, attempted robbery and possession of imitation firearms.

In February 1993, he was sentenced to a further 12 years at Chelmsford Crown Court, Essex, for offences committed after he absconded from an open prison where he was serving the end of his life term. He was one of a small number of non-republican prisoners repatriated to Ireland under a 1994 Act.

Prison authorities had recommended that Kiely receive psychiatric treatment and he is believed to have had meetings with Department of Justice officials.

It is believed that the temporary release order for Kiely's home visit yesterday stipulated that he had to be in the company of prison officers. However, there was no requirement for him to be handcuffed. He had been granted temporary release twice before.