Convicted garda killer Martin McDermott, whose absconding from a low security prison in Co Cavan in March resulted in political controversy, failed in his attempt in a court in Derry yesterday to appeal against a four-month jail sentence imposed on him for offences he committed during his arrest in the city following a cross-Border police hunt.
McDermott (26), whose address was given as care of Maghaberry Prison in Lisburn, Co Antrim, received a seven-year jail sentence in July of last year following his conviction for the manslaughter of Garda Gary McLoughlin.
Garda McLoughlin died after the patrol car he was driving was struck at speed by a car driven by McDermott at Burt, Co Donegal, on December 13th, 2009.
McDermott was serving his sentence in Loughan House in Blacklion when he absconded in March.
He was arrested by police officers in Derry on March 16th and jailed for four months at the city’s Magistrate’s Court when he pleaded guilty to assaulting three PSNI officers during the course of his arrest.
Refusing the appeal and affirming the four-month jail sentence, Judge Piers Grant said while McDermott had a relatively limited record in Northern Ireland, his 91 convictions in the Republic included manslaughter, other offences of violence, dishonesty and threatening individuals.
“The decision of the district judge to impose the four-month custody sentence in March was quite right. The appeal is dismissed,” he said.