Alleged Irish conman who used bedsheets to escape custody in Australia is finally caught
Connors was extradited to Queensland on Friday. Photo: Australian Federal Police
AN IRISHMAN allegedly linked to home repair scams has been charged with entering Australia on a false passport and escaping from detention by tying bedsheets together and scaling down the side of a building.
Michael Connors (26), who also uses various false names, has been on the run since March after his cartoon like escape from detention but was arrested by police in Sydney on Thursday.
Connors was extradited to Queensland on Friday. Photo: Australian Federal Police
In April, Australian Federal Police released his picture and said they wanted to speak to him about the passport offences and various scams which left 'people devastated'.
Michael Connors
News in 90 Seconds - Saturday, August 2
Connors appeared in Brisbane Arrest Court on Saturday after being charged with entering Australia on a false passport and escaping from custody.
No application for bail was made during the short hearing.
AN AFP spokesperson said: 'It will be alleged the man came into Australia in March, 2025, using a false passport, and was detained after he refused to undertake biometric checks.
'The man allegedly escaped detention after tying bedsheets together and scaling down the side of a building.'
In April the AFP issued an appeal for information on Connors' whereabouts.
They said he had also been linked to multiple other offences across New South Wales and Victoria.
Police said Connors used various false names including Craig O'Neill, Michael O'Brien, John Cash, Karl George Lynch and Joseph Blyth Kennedy.
He was last seen after escaping from custody in Brisbane on March 15.
When the appeal for information on his whereabouts was issued in April, AFP said he had outstanding court matters in New South Wales and Victoria for burglary and fraud charges.
These relate to roof-repair scams whereby, police claim, he has allegedly preyed on vulnerable community members.
At the time, AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Natalie Scott urged residents in Queensland to report any sightings of Connors to them and contact police if they had any information on his whereabouts.
'The community plays a crucial role in reporting crime and helping police locate and apprehend offenders – they're our eyes and ears on the streets,' Scott said.
'Mr Connors has a history of alleged involvement in serious offences including burglary and roof-repair scams, where he has allegedly preyed on vulnerable community members.
'Police will allege Mr Connors has engaged in fraudulent activity across two countries and left devastated people in his wake.'
Police eventually tracked him down the Sydney suburb of Box Hill on Thursday and arrested him.
An AFP spokesperson said; 'He appeared before Parramatta Magistrates Court yesterday (1 August, 2025), and a successful application was made to extradite the man back to Queensland that afternoon.
He was extradited to Brisbane where he appeared in court on Saturday on one count of using false documents and false or misleading information and one count of escaping from detention.
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