THE SEARCH FOR a man, who was previously given a 12 year prison sentence for manslaughter, continues after he escaped from the custody of prison officers.

Christopher Doyle, originally from Fatima Mansions in Dublin, was visiting his father in St James’s Hospital on Wednesday morning when he absconded.

Doyle was currently serving a six year prison sentence in the training unit of Mountjoy for dangerous driving causing bodily harm, after he stole a car on in Roscrea, Co Tipperary and crashed into a number of people.

Doyle also has a number of other previous convictions, including the manslaughter of Co Meath pensioner, Patrick Logan.

Logan, 81, was at home with his brother listening to a GAA match on the radio when Doyle and his brother John raided their house, beating the two of them and absconding with £45 in June 2000.

A spokesperson for the Prison Service told TheJournal.ie that they have launched an internal investigation into how Doyle managed to escape and have now referred the matter to the Gardaí.