Joyrider who killed garda escapes from minimum security prison

A prisoner who killed a garda was on the run last night after escaping from a prison in Cavan.

Martin McDermott, aged 25, who is serving a seven-year sentence for the manslaughter of Garda Gary McLoughlin in 2009, went missing from Loughan Prison, an open centre in Cavan, shortly before 5pm yesterday evening.

The prison is understood to have minimal external security in place.

A prison service spokesman confirmed a prisoner had absconded and said as soon as it was discovered he was missing the gardaí were called.

A search was commenced both inside and outside the prison.

Last July, McDermott of Castlegrove, Raphoe, Co Donegal was found guilty of the manslaughter of garda Gary McLoughlin in Dec 2009.

It emerged in the court case against him, that McDermott led detectives on a 30km pursuit, with speeds reaching 180km/h, before crashing into another patrol car carrying Garda Gary McLoughlin and Garda Bernard McLaughlin in Lisfannon, Burt, Co Donegal.

Garda Gary McLoughlin, 24, the driver of the patrol car, died the next day as a result of his injuries.

McDermott was sentenced to eight years in prison for the manslaughter charge, with the last year suspended, and a further five years for the reckless endangerment to Garda McLoughlin.

He was also sentenced to five years for dangerous driving causing death, and received a further six months for drink-driving, another six months for having no insurance, and a further six months for driving while disqualified.

All the sentences were to run concurrently.