FUGITIVE landlord Robbie Howse is working as a pub bouncer in Ireland after successfully evading detectives for the last eight years, the Evening Press can reveal today.

The man wanted for questioning over the theft of thousands of pounds from The Punch Bowl in York earns a living minding the door in the tourist town of Galway, where he has set up a new life.

A tip-off set Evening Press investigators on the trail of the runaway licensee. It took us only a matter of days to track down and confront Howse, who was last seen in the city in 1996.

Back then, detectives investigating the theft of cash from The Punch Bowl drew a blank, with many people believing the prime suspect had fled to Australia or Spain.

Rumours began circulating that the licensee had taken up to £40,000 from the tills of the Stonegate business and used it to start a new life in a foreign country.

But eight years later a trail of evidence led us to Galway, on the rugged west coast of Ireland. We flew out to trace Howse, now aged 39, who was said to be making a living as a pub worker.

Over a number of days we discovered that Howse has used his experiences in North Yorkshire pubs to establish himself as head doorman at a popular bar in the heart of the town's drinking scene.

He has a pregnant girlfriend, a share in a property in the town and a reputation among locals as a friendly rugby-loving Australian doorman with a line in cheeky banter.

Yet no one knows that he has been living a lie since arriving at Shannon Airport in 1996 with his pockets full of cash and little idea about what the future held.

Confronted at his workplace by a reporter, he spoke for the first time about how he "blew a gasket" at The Punch Bowl and stole money.

In an exclusive interview, he went on to tell of his remarkable new double life on the run in Ireland and how he now wants to come back to England to be closer to his mother.

But Howse, who said the total sum he stole was a lot less than the rumoured £40,000, fears he could face prison if police catch up with him in his home country.

Detectives from North Yorkshire Police would need to apply for his extradition through the Irish courts.

Talking about the theft, Howse said: "I took some but I didn't take what they reckon I took, that's for sure. Forty grand? How much did they reckon I was making? ... I took a few pounds.

"I just had a wobbly, I think. I hadn't had a holiday for years. At the time I was under awful pressure and just blew a gasket. Stuff happens. I took a certain amount and went, whatever. It wasn't really enough to set up a new life.

"I wouldn't mind coming home you know, to a point. I sort of have a life over here, but it's sort of messed up at the moment. It's been messed up for the last two years. I guess stuff comes around, goes around... whatever."

Speaking at The Front Door pub in Galway's High Street, Howse said he panicked and fled York after a team of auditors from Bass Taverns swooped on his business in the early hours to check stock levels and cash.

He said the unannounced check found that the tills were short of money, which he replaced from other funds, and several delivery dockets were missing. "I couldn't find a couple of delivery dockets so they didn't do the stock, but they checked the money and that was OK," he said.

Howse disappeared from the pub and flew straight to Limerick, 40 miles south of Galway, where some cousins were playing for a rugby club. He told them he was on holiday.

He had no plans, but when a friend called him from York and said the story of his disappearance was "all over the papers" he knew he was in deep trouble.

Without references, his options for work were limited, but he found an early morning job at a fishermen's pub in Claddagh and then moved on to a series of jobs at bars, pubs and hotels.

Detective Inspector Steve Maud, of York CID, said after being told of the Evening Press' investigations: "The crime remains undetected. Time is not a bar. If we became aware of a suspect, he could be arrested. The CPS would make a decision as to whether or not proceedings should be pursued."

He said extradition was a matter for the police, CPS and Home Office.

I have a life over here, but it's sort of messed up

Galway, Wednesday, August 25, 1am

Transcript of a conversation between crime reporter Chris Greenwood and Robbie Howse.

CG: You're Robbie Howse. You used to work at the Punchbowl in Stonegate.

RH: Yes. Right.

CG: You haven't been seen since 1996.

RH: Something like that.

CG: When you disappeared, some money disappeared as well. Now word gets to me that you want to come home.

RH: The problem at the moment is I'm splitting up with an ex-missus here and I have a court case going on. I'm stuck in that at the moment. Who were you talking too, out of interest?

CG: I imagine that you want to know if you come back to the UK will the police pursue you for what happened in 1996?

RH: I've talked to a few people about that and I've had a bit of feedback, but it's not really good enough.

CG: Maybe you are going to go back and say you didn't take the money?

RH: Well, there's different things to go into. I took some but I didn't take what they reckon I took, that's for sure. Forty grand? How much did they reckon I was making?

CG: You took a bit?

RH: A few pound.

CG: A few pound? But a few pounds isn't worth eight years in exile?

RH: The thing is it's awful complicated.

CG: Would you like to come back home if you could?

RH: I wouldn't mind you know, to a point. I sort of have a life over here, but it's sort of messed up at the moment. It has been for the last two years. I've been trying to sort that out.

CG: It must be a funny situation working here with all this behind you. It must be uncomfortable sometimes.

RH: Yeah. I've met a few interesting faces once or twice.

CG: How long were you at The Punch Bowl?

RH: Quite a few years. I was the assistant manager, joint licensee and then took over as manager.

CG: Did you have connections here? Is that why you came?

RH: I was in Limerick. I flew to Shannon. I had cousins playing rugby there for Garryowen. They thought I was on holiday, I was there just chill out.

CG: You couldn't really go back.

RH: I rang and they said it was all over the papers. I panicked then. I just cracked up. It's not too bad now but when I first came over they really hated the English. I was nearly murdered in Limerick.

Updated: 10:46 Monday, September 06, 2004