Derry court escapee Dean Beattie remanded in custody

The Derry man who dramatically escaped from police custody at the city’s court house a week ago appeared in handcuffs when brought before the court this morning. Dean Beattie (22), from Glenowen, was brought to the Bishop Street court house on Wednesday last to face robbery and assault charges in relation to an incident at a flat in the Northland Road area of the city on 12 December last. However Beattie, who was not handcuffed, managed to get away from a police officer as he was being led into the building and jumped two 10-foot metal fences before running through a turnstile and making off down Bishop Street in the direction of the Bogside. The dramatic escape (pictured]) was caught by a UTV cameraman who happened to be filming outside the courthouse at the time. Beattie was arrested in the city on Tuesday morning last. Appearing in the dock this morning, handcuffed to a prison officer, he faced the original charges and an additional charge of escaping from lawful custody on December 23. He was also charged with intimidating a witness on December 28. He was remanded in custody and will appear back before the court again via video link from prison on January 21 next.