Prisoner in hospital escape has history of absconding

THE prisoner who absconded from a hospital in Galway yesterday morning had previously committed crimes after failing to return on time from temporary release and had also told a judge that his head should be blown off.

Michael Murray, aged 37, and originally from Cork city, escaped from University College Hospital in Galway at 1.10am yesterday while on an escorted in-patient visit from Castlerea Prison.

It is understood that Murray had been at the hospital for a number of days for a check-up and that he had more than one prison escort with him.