Murderer who permanently disfigured prison officer in escape bid at Perth hospital jailed

A convicted murderer who permanently disfigured a prison guard and injured another while trying to escape custody during a hospital visit has been jailed.

James Demarco had been taken to Perth Royal Infirmary for an X-ray appointment on September 25, 2023 when he attacked a female GEOAmey guard.

The 34-year-old was handcuffed to the woman when he caused her to fall halfway down a flight of stairs.

He then put his knee on her chest and pinned her to the ground, causing her head to strike the floor, and demanded the handcuffs be removed.

Demarco threatened to slit the woman’s throat.

The second GEOAmey officer immediately uncuffed him, tackled him, and placed him in a headlock.

Demarco then bit the officer, a man, on his right forearm, elbowing the back of his head and punching him multiple times on the head and face.

The prisoner escaped through a door leading to the ground floor and left the building in the direction of the hospital car park.

Demarco admitted four charges at the High Court in Edinburgh on August 5. PA Media

Demarco then approached a woman with her four-year-old daughter, demanding her car keys. He said: “Where is your car? Give me your car keys.”

The woman shouted for help as Demarco grabbed at the pocket of her cardigan, causing it to rip.

After leaving the car park, Demarco ran in the direction of Wellshill Cemetery to the north of the hospital.

Meanwhile, police received a 999 call after a witness saw the attempted robbery in the car park.

Demarco was found hiding in the cemetery and was taken to Perth police station where he was charged.

In response to a charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice, he replied at the time: “Like that will make a difference to my life sentence, ha ha ha ha.”

Both prison custody officers were taken to accident and emergency at Perth Royal Infirmary.

The woman was left permanently disfigured after suffering a 6cm laceration to her scalp alongside contusions and soft tissue damage.

Her male colleague suffered bruising to his face and eyes, a minor cut on his right eye socket, soft tissue damage and a superficial bite mark on his arm.

Demarco was jailed for life in 2007 after being convicted of murdering 18-year-old Jamie Ewart.

He appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh on August 5 where he pleaded guilty to four charges – attempting to defeat the ends of justice, assault to severe injury or permanent disfigurement, assault to injury, and attempted robbery.

At the High Court in Stirling on Friday, he was sentenced to 40 months in prison, the Crown Office said.

Moira Orr, who leads on homicide and major crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: “James Demarco is a dangerous individual whose dangerous actions could have had catastrophic consequences.

“It is only by good fortune that neither of the two custody officers were more severely injured.

“He then tried to rob an innocent member of the public as she carried her young child, which must have been incredibly traumatic experience for them both.

“I hope this conviction serves as a warning to others that we take crimes of this nature extremely seriously and will use all the tools available to us to seek justice.”