He could be any pensioner out for a walk – but this is one of the most notorious murderers in the history of the State.
Malcolm Macarthur, known as the “Gentleman Killer” over his dapper dress sense, strolled around Dublin with passersby unaware of the chilling true identity of the man behind the mask.
With his shock of white hair, trench coat and smart grey suit, the 75-year-old gave the appearance of the well-to-do man about town he once was – before he turned killer.
And he took time to moan to our photographer that his 30 years behind bars was too long.
He spent the lengthy sentence in jail for the brutal murder of nurse Bridie Gargan in Phoenix Park in July 1982.
He battered her to death with a hammer before going on to shoot dead Offaly farmer Donal Dunne, sparking a nationwide manhunt. Macarthur spoke after the case of crazed wife-killer Frank McCann was mentioned on RTE Radio this week – he is up for parole for a fifth time.
The sister of McCann’s victim, Marian Leonard told Joe Duffy’s Liveline of her fears over his impending release – which was compared to that of Macarthur during the programme. Macarthur said: “I heard my name mentioned on the radio.
“Our two cases were totally different. I’d heard her family were very upset with the imminent release of McCann.”
And the infamous killer also whinged about the term he served behind bars.
He added: “I felt that my sentence was double the norm. I spent 30 years, double. I was nearly in the process of taking a High Court challenge against it when I was actually released so I didn’t have to bother.”
He also spoke of how he “always got on well” with the “prison staff,” and said: “I respected them and knew they were doing their job.”
MacArthur bludgeoned 27-year-old nurse Bridie to death as she was sunbathing on July 22, 1982.
Three days later, he shot dead Donal on his own land in Edenderry, Co Offaly.
In events described by then-Taoiseach Charles Haughey as “grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented”, gardai investigating the case found Macarthur hiding out in an apartment owned by the then-Attorney General Patrick Connolly.
Macarthur was arrested at Mr Connolly’s home, leading to a public scandal.
Mr Connolly, who was unaware Macarthur was a wanted man, resigned soon afterwards.
MacArthur was sentenced to life in prison for Bridie’s killing while the second charge of murdering Donal was eventually dropped when a nolle prosequi was entered.
At the time of Macarthur’s arrest in Mr Connolly’s Dalkey apartment, detectives found a chilling handwritten note outlining his plans to murder his own mother and inherit IR£60,000, the remains of the family estate.
Macarthur was convicted of Bridie’s murder in one of the shortest ever cases in the legal history of the State.
He pleaded guilty and the case lasted only five minutes – even though more than 260 witnesses were expected to be called.
He was released from Shelton Abbey low security prison in Co Wicklow in September 2012.
