Leniency of McAuley’s jail term is challenged

THE DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions is appealing the leniency of the sentence imposed on Pearse McAuley for a violent assault on his estranged wife during which she was stabbed 13 times in front of their two sons.

Last month, the convicted garda killer was sentenced to 12 years in jail with four suspended over the incident, which took place on Christmas Eve in 2014.

In an interview with Marian Finucane on RTÉ Radio in early December, his former wife, Pauline Tully, described the brutal and prolonged attack to which she was subjected.

McAuley, who is originally from Strabane, had previously pleaded guilty to the frenzied knife attack on the former Sinn Féin councillor, which lasted two and a half hours, at Ms Tully’s home at Kilderry, Kilnaleck, Co. Cavan.

In December at Cavan Circuit Criminal Court, Judge John Aylmer said the assessment of the DPP was that the attack on Ms Tully had to be considered as being in the most serious category, but there were mitigating circumstances in the case and consequently he suspended four of the 12 years.

Judge Aylmer explained that he suspended four of the 12 years because of McAuley’s guilty plea and his expressions of remorse and shame.

With remission and time served, McAuley will be released in less than five years – unless the appeal court alters the sentence.