‘Tiger kidnap’ suspect released

A MAN arrested on Monday of last week in connection with a “Tiger” abduction which led to €105,000 being extorted from Newcastle West sub-post office, has been released without charge.

Insp Derek Smart, of Roxboro Road station, said: “A file is being prepared for the DPP.”

A woman, arrested with the man near Gort, Co Galway, had been released earlier. Both live in the Newcastle West area.

Tommy Kelleher, 25, a son of a sub-post office operator in Newcastle West was abducted at gunpoint on June 28. Mr Kelleher was confronted by an armed and masked man as he entered the rear of the sub-post office at around 8.30am.

He was helping run the post office while his parents were away on holiday.

A sum of €105,000 was subsequently handed to a person in woodlands at Carrigkerry, around 10km from Newcastle West.

At around 4pm on the day of the abduction, Mr Kelleher was found tied and gagged in the boot of his parents BMW which was left at the Templegreen estate in Newcastle West.

Gardaí became aware of the abduction about five hours after it happened and within minutes had located the BMW in which they found Mr Kellleher, bound and gagged. He was in a distressed state, but otherwise uninjured by his ordeal.

Forensic experts carried out an examination of the BMW and a trawl of CCTV systems in Newcastle West was also carried out.