The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will today challenge the granting of conditional bail to a man from Co Galway, charged with the murder of his wife in London.
At a hearing at Brent Magistrates' Court in London yesterday, the presiding magistrate, Mr Neil McKittrick, granted conditional bail to Mr Patrick Folan, who is charged with the murder of his wife, Ms Michelle Folan (24), between October 16th, 1981, and June 2nd, 1999. But when the details of the ruling emerged, the CPS indicated that it would mount a challenge at a special hearing at the Old Bailey.
After hearing legal submissions from the CPS and Mr Folan's counsel, Mr McKittrick had set bail with the condition that an independent surety of £10,000 sterling be paid and that an additional £10,000 be lodged with the court. Mr Folan was also required to live at his address in north London and ordered not to interfere with prosecution witnesses.
Mr Folan's counsel, Mr Mark Balysz, informed the court that his client was a man of "good character" who had raised their two children single-handedly after the disappearance of his wife in 1981.
However, counsel for the CPS, Mr James Ahern, argued that it was possible Mr Folan would fail to obey the conditions of his bail and could possibly interfere with witnesses. He told the court that it was also possible that Mr Folan would abscond to the Republic. After the CPS indicated its objection, Mr Folan was remanded in custody. Pending the outcome of the Old Bailey hearing, he is due to appear in court again on June 20th.
During the 15-minute hearing, Mr Folan, who had been remanded in custody after his first court appearance last week, sat listening to the proceedings flanked by two prison officers.
Construction workers discovered the remains of Mrs Folan's body in June last year underneath a concrete pathway in the grounds of a disused hospital in Archway, north London. She was identified from dental records and an engagement ring.
Mrs Folan disappeared after going out for a drink in a pub with her husband and stepfather.