Custody escapee who faked overdose faces extradition

A 35-YEAR-OLD man who tricked police officers into believing he had overdosed on prescription drugs prior to being arrested, only to later flee from hospital, has been sentenced to a jail term of nearly two years.

Duane Francis Farry (35), previously of Ashfield Gardens in Fintona, appeared via videolink at Dungannon Crown Court on Monday, having previously pleaded guilty to a string of offences which escalated from a broken window just under a year ago.

Farry, who has been serving time on remand at Maghaberry prison since his arrest, is also facing extradition proceedings for separate offences allegedly committed in the Republic of Ireland.

Dungannon Crown Court heard that, on November 27, 2023, a 999 call was made from a resident in Ashfield Gardens claiming that a man had broken a window by throwing a bottle of Buckfast wine through it.

The police arrived to the area and whilst speaking to the victim, was alerted to a man matching the description being loud and disruptive nearby.

Upon speaking to the man, who was identified as Farry, police attempted to arrest him for disorderly behaviour and criminal damage.

Farry then attempted to run away but was caught and restrained, however he resisted the officers, ‘flexing his arm’ as they attempted to place handcuffs on him.

Farry then kicked one of the officers in the thigh, before trying to bite another police man, leaving a ‘trail of bloody saliva’.

Upon transport to custody, Farry claimed to be having a ‘pregabalin overdose’, so the police redirected to the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH).

During the journey Farry continued his abuse towards the police and kicked the windows within the cell van.

At hospital, the defendant asked for a cigarette to calm his nerves. However, upon finishing the cigarette, he jumped out of the cell van, shoving past one of the officers and ran into a wooded area, still handcuffed.

‘heat-seeking’

An extensive search involving multiple police units, a ‘heat-seeking’ police plane and search & rescue teams were tasked in locating the defendant – but to no avail.

Twenty-six hours later a patrol car in Coalisland located Farry, without handcuffs, and arrested him.

Defence counsel Joe McCann told the court that Farry had served the equivalent of 22 months in custody since his arrest and cited his difficult background detailed in the pre-sentence report, which was not disclosed in open court.

He added that the defendant’s circumstances were ‘very unfortunate’, referencing previous sentences which Mr McCann described as ‘more stick than carrot’.

However, the barrister claimed that Farry’s escape from custody was ‘opportunistic’ and ‘not well thought out’, adding that he was then caught a day later.

His Honour Judge Brian Sherrard acknowledged Farry’s guilty plea at arraignment, and reading from the pre-sentence report, observed that the 35-year-old had started to recognise the need to change his path.

However, the judge also noted Farry’s 100 previous convictions, detailing that 16 were for assaulting police and eight convictions of obstructing police.

“This was a disgraceful response to police,” said Judge Sherrard, in reference to the attempted biting of one officer and the kicking of another.

Farry was sentenced to 22 months’ imprisonment, 15 months for the charges before the court and a further seven from breaching a previous suspended sentence.

While Farry will be released within the next few days due to time served on remand, he remains in custody pending the extradition proceedings.