Maze prison escapee Brendan McFarlane told gardaí that he was "prepared for the big one" when he was questioned about the kidnapping of former supermarket executive Don Tidey, the Special Criminal Court heard today.

Maze prison escapee Brendan McFarlane was arrested just hours before the Northern Ireland Secretary of State Mo Mowlam was due to sign his final papers releasing him from parole, the Special Criminal Court heard today.

A retired Garda ballistics expert told the Don Tidey kidnap trial today that he concluded that gunfire from two automatic weapons had been fired in the direction of a recruit garda and soldier who were killed when the supermarket executive was rescued almost twenty five years ago.

A retired Detective Inspector has told the Special Criminal Court in Dublin of how Donald Tidey was rescued from terrorist kidnappers in Co Leitrim in 1983 after a three-week ordeal.

Former supermarket boss Don Tidey told a court today of the "battleground'' that erupted around him when security forces rescued him from his kidnappers almost 25 years ago.

Maze prison escapee Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane went on trial at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today for the 1983 kidnapping of supermarket boss Don Tidey during which a trainee garda and soldier were killed.

THE Supreme Court has cleared the way for the trial of Maze Prison escapee Brendan “Bik” McFarlane on charges connected with the 1983 kidnapping of supermarket boss Don Tidey.

Maze prison escapee Brendan McFarlane today lost his latest legal challenge to stop his trial over the kidnap of a supermarket boss 25 years ago.

MAZE prison escapee Brendan “Bik” McFarlane is to take the Government to the European Court of Human Rights in a bid to halt his trial for the 1983 kidnapping of supermarket boss Don Tidey.

Maze prison escapee Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane has lodged an appeal to the Supreme Court in a bid to prevent his trial going ahead on charges connected with the 1983 kidnapping of supermarket boss Don Tidey.

Maze prison escaper Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane is to appeal to the Supreme Court in a bid to prevent his trial going ahead on charges connected with the 1983 kidnapping of supermarket boss Don Tidey.

The Special Criminal Court today adjourned the trial of Maze prison escaper Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane on charges connected with the 1983 kidnap of supermarket boss Don Tidey after hearing that he is taking a fresh legal challenge to halt the trial.

The Special Criminal Court today fixed a date in October for the trial of Maze prison escaper Brendan "Bik" McFarlane on charges connected with the 1983 kidnap of supermarket boss Don Tidey.

The Supreme Court has reserved judgment in an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions against a High Court decision preventing the prosecution of Maze prison escaper Brendan “Bik” McFarlane on charges connected with the 1983 kidnap of supermarket executive Don Tidey.