Mary Lou McDonald criticises ‘lenient’ Pearse McAuley term

Mary Lou McDonald has criticised the “lenient” sentence handed down this week to republican garda killer Pearse McAuley for attacking his wife.

McAuley was given a 12-year jail term, with the final four suspended, after being found guilty of a two-hour, frenzied attack on his wife, on Christmas Eve last year.

Pauline Tully was stabbed 13 times in front of the couple’s children. However, with remission, McAuley, 50, could be released in five years.