Notorious Scots murderer who broke female prison guard’s jaw as he escaped & went on run ‘could have killed again’

A SCOTS murderer and lifer who threatened to slit the throat of a female guard in an escape bid during a hospital visit was jailed for a further 40 months today.

James Demarco, 34, was captured hiding in a graveyard shortly after he fled from Perth Royal Infirmary in the incident last year.

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During the escape bid he had also attacked a woman who was attending the infirmary with her four-year-old daughter, demanding her car keys and ripping her clothing.

When he was charged, the notorious killer said: “Like that will make a difference to my life sentence ha ha.”

Demarco, 34, who appeared for sentence by video link at the High Court in Stirling, was jailed for life back in 2007 after he murdered Jamie Ewart, 18, in a knife attack at a house party in Edinburgh.

For that he was ordered to serve a minimum of 15 years before applying for parole.

In 2008 he was jailed for a further 45 months after he ordered a “hit” from prison – listening in by phone from prison as the victim screamed.

During the machete hit, Demarco was heard laughing on a recording from the segregation unit at Edinburgh’s Saughton prison.

The assailant James Paxton said: “I just sliced and diced with my machete.”

Demarco, who has 11 previous convictions for assault, took advantage of a visit to the Infirmary on September 25, 2023 from Perth Prison.

He was handcuffed to Geo Amey officer Wendy Laing but caused her to fall down a set of stairs and hit her head.

He then threatened to slit her throat, demanding: “Take these cuffs off me.”

A fellow officer, Adam Austin, went to her aid and put Demarco in a headlock, but the killer bit him on the forearm and repeatedly struck him before he got free.

He ran out of the hospital towards a car park and saw a woman, who had attended for an appointment with her four-year-old daughter, and demanded to know where her car was and her car keys.

He ripped her clothing and she screamed before Demarco fled. Police found him at a nearby cemetery after they were alerted by 999 calls.

The court heard that Ms Laing required stitches to a head wound and suffered headaches after the attack.

Demarco admitted attempting to defeat the ends of justice, and assaulting Ms Laing to her severe injury and permanent disfigurement by causing her fall down the stairs at the hospital and hit her head, pinning her to the ground and compressing her chest and neck.

He further admitted assaulting Mr Austin by biting him and repeatedly striking him on the head and attempting to rob the woman visitor to the hospital by demanding she hand over her keys.

Defence counsel Tony Lenehan said it had not been a premeditated attempt to escape.

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He said “the events” began with Demarco becoming intoxicated at his own hand in the prison.

Then, stumbling about on his feet, he pulled over the officer escorting him to hospital before trying to take advantage of the situation.

Mr Lenehan added: “It was not something where there were people waiting. It was not something where there was a plan. He gets as far as the cemetery where he lies down and the police found him behind a hedge.”

Mr Lenehan said it was now up to the Parole Board to decide when Demarco should be released, and a hearing had been set for next year (2025).

He said the parole board hearing “will have been adversely affected, undoubtedly, by these events.”

Judge Fiona Tait told Demarco the incident must have been “frightening” for all those involved, and according to a victim impact statement at least one victim was still suffering from the physical and psychological consequences.

She said: “These were serious offences. This court must necessarily take a very serious view of any assault on custody officers in the course of their employment.”

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.”

The 40 month sentence will be served from now.