Two west Belfast men who skipped bail eight months ago after being convicted of kidnapping were back before the city's Crown Court today following their recapture yesterday.
35-year-old Thomas Tolan from Ballymurphy Parade and 34-year-old Gerard McCrory of Dermott Hill Road were re-arrested in Co Down.
The two pleaded guilty last May to the kidnap of the leading republican Bobby Tohill.
In February 2004, Mr Tohill was taken from a Belfast city centre bar by a group of men and bundled into the back of a van.
A short time later the kidnap victim was rescued by police nearby.
Tolan and McCrory, along with two other men, Harry Fitzsimmons and Liam Rainey were due to be sentenced last May, but all four skipped bail and went on the run.
Yesterday, Tolan and McCrory were arrested on the main Belfast to Dublin road at Hillsborough.
They appeared in court today and were remanded in custody for sentencing on Friday week.
The judge asked the prosecution to investigate whether it considered their absconding to be an aggravating factor.
