Garda killer extradition expected in "days"

Martin McDermott, who escaped from Blacklion-based open prison Loughan House earlier this year - eight months into a seven-year sentence for killing Leitrim Garda Gary McLoughlin - is, within days, due to be extradited back to the Republic of Ireland where he will serve out the remainder of his sentence. Twenty-six-year-old McDermott from Raphoe, Donegal, who has 91 previous convictions in the South, was before the court in Derry on Monday (May 21), when he pleaded guilty to motoring offences in the city in November 2009. He was fined £700. In court, his solicitor, Seamus Quigley, told District Judge Barney McElholm that McDermott was due to be extradited to the Republic "within days". He was before the Appeals Court in Belfast last month, appealing a four-month prison sentence he received for assaulting three officers after his Loughan House escape on March 15. That appeal was dismissed. McDermott's extradition back to the Republic is so that he can serve out the remainder of a sentence handed down in July 2011, when he was convicted of the manslaughter of Garda McLoughlin. Garda McLoughlin died when the squad car he was driving was struck at speed by a car driven by McDermott at Burt in County Donegal in December 2009. McDermott had been initially sent to the Midland's prison, however, was moved on 'compassionate' grounds to the Cavan open prison. That decision has since been recognised by the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter and the Prison Service as a mistake. When extradition proceedings are completed, McDermott will be re-imprisoned in a secure prison facility, although no indication has as yet been given by the Department of Justice whether or not further prosecution will be sought for the his escape.