Irish property tycoon fails to leave forwarding address

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21423734

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By Shane Harrison BBC NI Dublin correspondent

An Irish property developer who was found wandering on a country road eight months after he disappeared has left hospital without leaving a forwarding address for police.

Kevin McGeever, 68, has been recovering in hospital in Mullingar, County Westmeath, since he was found near Ballinamore, County Leitrim in January.

His family had expected him to remain in hospital to recuperate.

Police sources said they want to have a lengthy and formal interview with him.

The former property developer is wanted by Interpol for questioning over property deals in the United Arab Emirates.

And the authorities in the United States are understood to be keen to confirm whether he is the Kevin McGeever who has been a fugitive for 10 years, after fleeing before being charged with alleged involvement in a wire and mail fraud.

Detectives say they have made little progress in solving the mystery of Mr McGeever's missing eight months but they are confident they will be able to track him down.

Mr McGeever was found, barefoot, ragged and with an abusive word carved into his head, by a couple on 29 January.

He told police he had been held captive by a gang.

Mr McGeever said his ordeal began in May 2012 when he was kidnapped by three armed men from his home at Craughwell, County Galway.

His partner, Siobhan O'Callaghan, reported him missing the following month.

When his family visited him at the Midlands Regional Hospital in Mullingar they were shocked by the sight of him.

His brother, Brendan, said he looked like a weather-beaten 90-year-old man just released from a concentration camp.

Kevin McGeever told his brother he had been locked up for eight months and communicated with masked captors by using notes.

Brendan said he expected his brother to remain in hospital for some time to recuperate.

But Kevin has now left the Midlands Regional, his whereabouts unknown.

Detectives say they have made little progress in solving the mystery of Mr McGeever's missing eight months but they are confident they will be able to track him down.