THE Department of Justice begins an inquiry this morning into how a prisoner armed with a syringe escaped from custody yesterday evening.
Michael Cahill, a brother of the late Martin Cahill - better known as "The General" - escaped from a Garda van in Dublin when being escorted to Cork by three prison officers with a Garda driver, none of whom was armed.
Cahill (33) had been serving a 4 1/2 year prison term after being convicted on a drugs charge earlier this year.
The events which led to his escape started in Mountjoy on Saturday when there was a violent "fracas" involving a number of prisoners. The Department of Justice investigation is expected to determine whether this was genuine or staged.
Cahill became involved in the argument, according to official sources. It was later decided to transfer him to Cork Prison. Yesterday he was placed in a prison van, with a Garda driver, and three prison officers in the back. He was handcuffed to an officer.
Shortly before 5 p.m. the van was heading away from Dublin, coming off the M50 motorway off to the Naas Road, when the prisoner produced a syringe. He held it to the head of one of the officers and ordered the others to unlock his handcuffs. Cahill then jumped out of the van. He made an unsuccessful attempt to stop a car on the motorway before running across fields. Gardai were searching the area last night.
Part of Cahill's sentence was suspended and he was due for release next year.
In April, Thomas "Bomber" Clarke escaped from his escort of unarmed prison officers and a garda when armed men rammed a prison van outside Dublin.