Maze escaper Brendan "Bik" McFarlane, who faces charges connected with the 1983 kidnap of supermarket executive Mr Don Tidey, was yesterday given permission by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin to travel to Denmark next year for a christening.
McFarlane (47), of Jamaica Street in Belfast, is charged with falsely imprisoning Mr Tidey in 1983 and with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life at Derrada Wood, Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, in the same year. His counsel, Mr Stephen McCann, applied to the court to have McFarlane's passport returned to allow him to travel to Denmark in January. Mr McCann said McFarlane wanted to attend a family christening. The court agreed to return the passport, which had been surrendered as part of McFarlane's bail conditions. He was remanded on continuing bail of £100,000 until February 9th next year.