Convicted murderer whose licence was revoked tracked down in Derry and jailed after new charges

Sean Cruickshank (35) of Lislane Drive in Derry appeared on Monday charged with resisting and obstructing police on May 11 and also two charges of possessing drugs on the same date.

The court heard that police were called to a report of two intoxicated males near the Ballymagroarty Community Centre.

One was identified as Cruickshank who was wanted by police since his licence was revoked last year.

Police attended and Cruickshank was seen in an alleyway and when he was approached by police he gave a false name.

He was then arrested for an assault charge from October last year and then ran off before being taken to the ground by police.

While on the ground, Pregablin tablets fell from his pocket and in a subsequent search a Xanax tablet was found.

The police officer said while being arrested Cruickshank was 'quite animated and shouting'.

He admitted possessing the drugs and said they were for personal use.

Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said that Cruickshank had been 'evading the authorities' but added that he had been doing it by 'staying out of trouble.'

District Judge Barney McElholm sentenced Cruickshank to three months in prison.

The defendant had been given a life sentence after being convicted along with another man of the murder of a 19-year-old Donegal man Liam Anthony Devlin on August 4 2007.

Following his conviction the court set a tariff of 11 years as the minimum Cruickshank had to serve before being considered for release.

After his licence was revoked the PSNI issued an appeal for his whereabouts and warned the public not to approach Cruickshank.

Cruickshank's solicitor Seamus Quigley said that it would now be up to the parole commissioners to decide how long his client would remain in prison.

Earlier this month the PSNI issued an appeal for information to assist in locating the 35-year-old Sean old, who, police said, had been ‘unlawfully at large’ after he had his licence revoked and was recalled to prison.