Man flees custody for second time in 6 months

Gardai in Cork were last night searching for a man who escaped from custody for the second time in three months.

Mr Niall Fitzpatrick (35), from the Mayfield area on the north side of the city, also escaped from prison in the mid-1990s.

He was about to appear at Angelsea Street District Court yesterday morning to face charges of escape from lawful custody, relating to an incident in January, when he escaped through the judge's chambers, scaled a six-foot wall and escaped in a car.

Mr Fitzpatrick had previously escaped from Garda custody on January 8th when he was being transported to prison from Macroom District Court after being charged with unlawfully using a stolen car. On that occasion he remained at large for six days before being rearrested and returned to Cork Prison. He was then described as "dangerous".

Witnesses say he was escorted into the court from the holding area by gardaí.

He then glanced at the public gallery before vaulting over a waist-high partition in front of him. He is said to have run behind the judge's seat, on towards a fire exit, past the judge's chambers and out to the courtyard.

Judge MacGruairc, unperturbed by the commotion, went on to hear the rest of the morning's cases.