McCabe killers released from prison
Two men who were convicted of the manslaughter of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe have been released from Castlerea Prison.
Detective McCabe was killed during an armed raid on a post office van in Adare, Co Limerick, in 1996.
Kevin Walsh from Limerick and Pearse McCauley from Strabane, Co Tyrone, had been given 14-year sentences for the manslaughter of the Limerick detective.
They have completed ten-and-a-half years of their sentences, having previously served a year on remand.
The two walked out of the Co Roscommon prison shortly after 7am this morning where they were met by Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris. They were then driven away in a van without making any comment.
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams issued a statement following the men’s release.
He said the two men had some years ago expressed their ‘deep regret and apologised’ for the hurt and grief caused to the families of Garda McCabe and Garda Ben O’Sullivan, who was injured in the raid.
Mr Adams said that he believed the apology was genuine and ‘it echoes the sentiments of republicans everywhere’.
He added that he ‘deeply regrets the great loss and hurt suffered by the McCabe and O’Sullivan families’.
‘The release of Kevin Walsh and Pearse McCauley comes at the end of their sentences, despite them being qualifying IRA prisoners under the Good Friday Agreement’, he said.
