THE FAMILY of double-killer John Gallagher said they had not been informed he was back in custody and yesterday contacted the office of the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter to get more information.
The Gallaghers held a family conference yesterday after reading about their brother’s detention in newspapers.
Gallagher, who absconded from the Central Mental Hospital in July 2000 and fled to England, handed himself in by appointment earlier this month.
Gallagher, from Lifford, Co Donegal, was found “guilty but insane” of the murder of his girlfriend Anne Gillespie (18) and her mother Annie (51) in the grounds of Sligo General Hospital in 1988, after learning she wanted to end their relationship.
Since the death of their father in 2008, the majority of the family have become estranged from their brother John.
Of the nine siblings, only one, Christopher, is close to the killer, while Gallagher’s mother, who still lives in Lifford, Co Donegal, also speaks to her son.
Anne Maguire’s uncle Patrick Maguire, who narrowly escaped being shot by John Gallagher, has said he fears he will have to come face to face with him again.
Mr Maguire, who was in the carpark of Sligo General Hospital when Gallagher shot and killed the two women, fears Gallagher will be declared sane and walk the streets of Donegal again.
Mr Maguire lives in Ballybofey, which is just 15 miles from the border at Strabane where Gallagher has lived for almost a decade.
Gallagher aimed the weapon at Mr Maguire and pulled the trigger, but the gun jammed.
Mr Maguire had gone to the hospital with Anne and Annie Gillespie on the night of the murder, September 19th.
The pair were visiting Mrs Gillespie’s mother.
Shortly after 9pm, Gallagher approached their car with a gun, calling on Anne to get out.
He fired through the car window killing both women, before fleeing.
Later he was chased from a checkpoint by detectives. He drove into the sea from a jetty at St Ernan’s and was pulled from the sea unconscious.