A FORMER boxer who tackled a knife-wielding carjacker has says he would do it again after coming to the aid of female carjacking victim in the city.
Grandfather Damien McDermott wrestled grappled with Joseph McMullan as he was stealing a woman’s car in the Ballymagroarty area of the city in May 2017.
McMullan, 29, pleaded guilty on Tuesday at Derry Crown Court to charges including hijacking, robbery and having a knife.
He swiped the knife in front of a woman’s face as he stole her car.
The court heard McMullan , from Kavanagh Court in Derry who has 130 previous convictions, had run across a supermarket car park after the woman, grabbed her by the hair, pulled her to the ground and stole her car keys and mobile phone.
Mr McDermott, a former boxer and marathon runner, had been worshipping in a nearby church when he was alerted to the incident by another woman asking for help.
She told the 63-year-old grandfather that McMullan had also tried to steal her car and had held a knife to both her and her baby’s throats.
“We were late for mass and standing at the back, when the door opened and a woman asked could I help her,” Mr McDermott told the BBC.
He said he could see a confrontation in a supermarket car park and decided to intervene.
Mr McDermott said a woman was “hanging out the passenger side” of a car and it was being driven towards him.
“I shouted at her to let go, her legs were being dragged along the ground. I jumped in and got a hold of him.
“We were wrestling for a bit but I couldn’t see a knife at this stage.”
The former boxer said once McMullan was able to get the car in gear, he was able to shake him off and drive off.
“These things happen so quickly that you don’t get time to think. If you asked if I would do it again, then I would.
“There were no thoughts of fear, I just wanted him out of the car,” he added.
He returned to church after the incident and said he has not seen either of the women since.
“I would like to meet them, see how they are,” he said.
McMullan was apprehended by the PSNI later the same evening after the police helicopter was launched to track his movements as he made a break for the Donegal border.
He has been now remanded in custody to Maghaberry Prison until sentencing.
Judge Philip Judge Babington said the court had a duty to keep the community safe and in sentencing McMullan, and he would do that.
Judge Babington said he also wanted to see McMullan’s record in the Republic of Ireland prior to sentencing.
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