Strabane native in court after stabbing

Convicted Garda killer Pearse McAuley, from Strabane, has appeared in court following an incident on Christmas Eve in which his wife was stabbed.

He appeared in a special sitting at Cavan District Court and was charged with assaulting and threatening to kill his wife.

Dressed casually in a jumper and beige trousers, flanked by Gardai, 50-year-old McAuley, who served more than 10 years in prison for the 1996 murder of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe, appeared before Judge Cormac Dunne.

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McAuley was arrested and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, and charged at Cavan Garda Station for offences which occurred near the village of Kilnaleck, Co Cavan on December 24.

A prominent republican, McAuley, with an address at Canal Bank Walk, Castleforde, Ballyconnell, in Co Cavan, appeared before the court with dark marks beneath his eyes and bandages on his arms.

He is charged with allegedly assaulting and causing harm to his wife, Pauline Tully McAuley, at Keelderry, Kilnaleck, on December 24, as well as making threats to kill to her and two others at the same location on the same date.

Garda Sergeant Michael Fitzpatrick told the court that the defendant made no 
response to the charge of alleged assault on Mrs Tully McAuley.

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Responding to the charge of threatening to kill his wife, the accused said: “I didn’t say I was going to do it. I didn’t set out to kill or harm Pauline McAuley.”

McAuley is next expected to appear before Harristown Distict Court in Roscommon on January 2.