A young villain escaped from custody because he

A young villain escaped from custody because he could not
bear to miss spending Christmas with his little girl, the Old
Bailey heard.

Thomas McLoughlin, 19, missed his two-year-old’s first Christ
mas in 1990 because he was on remand on armed robbery charges
which were later dropped.

Faced with the prospect of missing the toddler’s second fes
tive season after he was remand in custody for burglary last
November, he broke out of Feltham remand centre just before
Christmas.

He was re-arrested by an ‘eagle-eyed’ PC who spotted him near
his Ponders End home early this year.

Mr Alan Johnson, defending, said McLoughlin went on the run
after thinking that he would spend another Christmas behind bars
without his daughter.

‘He became depressed and upset and very foolishly decided to
effect his escape.

‘
Judge Brian Smedley QC told McLoughlin escaping from custody
usually called for a custodial penalty which would have kept him
away from his beloved daughter for even longer.

But he took pity on the devoted young dad and sentenced him to
community service instead.

‘It is quite clear that you have to be punished.

‘You were obviously not minded to use your time at Feltham
constructively.

This time you can use your time for someone
else’s benefit.

‘
McLoughlin, of Napier Road, Ponders End, agreed to do 150
hours unpaid work in the community.

A two year probation order, imposed two weeks ago for the
burglary, having an offensive weapon and criminal damage, was
ordered to continue so that he could address his problems with
drugs and alcohol.

ENDS
MMMM