A garda manhunt is contuning this morning for a prisoner who escaped from Ennis courthouse yesterday afternoon.
Jason Freyne, aged 22 from Carew Park in Limerick, remains at large. Gardai believe that Mr Freyne, who had appeared in court after being caught driving a stolen car, may have returned to his home county.
A second man, Keith Garrihy of Beechgrove, Newmarket on Fergus, was who had also absconded from the courthouse was apprehended shortly afterwards by gardai in Clarecastle.
The pair, who had been brought from Limerick prison, made their escape at 3.15pm from prison staff at Ennis courthouse.
Chief Superintendent John Kerin told The Clare Champion that a full investigation is underway and that Clare gardai are working closely with their counterparts in Limerick to find Mr Freyne.
“We believe that he may be attempting to return to Limerick and we are liaising with gardai in Limerick as part of this investigation,” he said. He confirmed that a full review into the circumstances of how the men escaped will also be carried out.
Mr Freyne had appeared in court on Wednesday in relation to the taking of a car at Liddy’s Costcutter on April 19.
In court Inspector Tom Kennedy said he had been observed “going like the clappers” towards Limerick at speeds in excess of 160 kilometres per hour. He was subsequently arrested at Moyross.
The court heard about several people whose safety was put at risk due to his driving, and when Judge Patrick Durcan asked his solicitor if he would like to apologise to them, after conferring with the defendant, she said he didn’t wish to make any such apology.
He had been remanded in custody to appear before Limerick City District Court on Thursday.
A spokesperson for the Irish Prison Services said they are investigating the matter to establish the facts of what happened.
Jessica Quinn
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.