25/04/2012

Three More Prisoner Escape Co Cavan Open Prison

Three more inmates escaped from Loughan House open prison in Co Cavan, the same prison that convicted garda killer Martin McDermott walked out of in March of this year.

The alarm was raised around 18:30 last night when the inmates were discovered missing and they were recaptured a short time later.

The escapes are the latest embarrassment for the Irish Prison Service over its operations at Loughan House after Martin McDermott - jailed for seven years last July for the manslaughter of Garda Gary McLoughlin in 2009 after ramming him with a car - fled from the unit in March just 12 days after being transferred.

The 26-year-old inmate was later arrested in Derry by the PSNI.

It was the second time McDermott, who has a record listing 91 previous offences, had fled from Loughan House.

The Irish Prison Service recorded 86 inmate escapes from open prisons last year, with most returning voluntarily days later. There have been at least 16 this year.

(H)


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