Manhunt underway as two inmates abscond from County Cavan open prison

The inmates, Stephen Haugh from Mullingar who was behind bars for drug possession and Steven Coughlan from Cork who was serving a sentence for various offences including car theft, are understood to have only been moved to the Open Prison on Friday.

In a statement to the Sunday World, the Irish Prison Service confirmed this morning: “The Prison Service can confirm two prisoners absconded from Loughan House on the 16 October 2021.

“An Garda Siochana have been notified.

“When a prisoner absconds An Garda Síochána are informed and they have the power to detain, arrest, and return such persons to prison.”

The latest ‘escapes’ from the open prison bring to three the number of inmates who have fled Loughan House within the past two weeks.

On the night of Monday October 4th, double murder suspect John Mangan fled the prison after being caught with a burner phone linked to death threats against an innocent Dublin family.

It's understood the number on the burner phone matched that on the threatening messages .

It is suspected that Mangan is currently hiding out in north Dublin and is being aided by criminal accomplices.

Before he absconded, the thug was serving 10 years for a firearms offence on top of a 14-year drugs sentence imposed on him in 2009.

The 53-year-old of Whitestown Green, Blanchardstown, was among dozens of criminals arrested in relation to the shocking double murder of Hyland and Anthony Campbell in December 2006, but gardai did not charge him despite considering him a suspect.

Mangan remains unlawfully at large.