A prisoner named Keith Macken, aged 43, escaped custody while receiving medical treatment at Tallaght Hospital in Dublin on the morning of January 11, 2025. Macken, who is from Cabra, had been on remand in Wheatfield Prison, awaiting sentencing for a charge of assault causing harm. He was taken to the hospital due to an undisclosed illness. However, during his medical treatment, he managed to escape from the custody of the prison officers who were accompanying him.
The escape has prompted a full-scale manhunt by Gardaí (Irish police) as they search for Macken, who remains at large. The Irish Prison Service has confirmed the incident and is conducting an investigation into how Macken managed to escape from the hospital. Authorities have not yet revealed the specific details regarding the escape itself, leaving the investigation ongoing.
Keith Macken has a history of medical issues and is known to frequently attend hospitals for treatment. His history of illness may have contributed to the circumstances surrounding his escape, although further details have not been disclosed. As of now, there has been no official statement explaining how he evaded the prison officers, raising questions about the level of security at the hospital during the time of the incident.
Local law enforcement authorities have issued a call for any members of the public with information on Macken’s whereabouts to come forward. Gardaí are focused on tracking him down and bringing him back into custody. Given the nature of the crime he was awaiting sentencing for, Macken is considered a serious offender, and the authorities are treating his escape as a high-priority case.
As the search for Macken intensifies, the Irish Prison Service has vowed to review its procedures and ensure that such an incident does not happen again. They are working closely with Gardaí to track him down, and the situation has raised concerns about the security measures in place when prisoners are transferred for medical treatment outside of prison.
