AN INMATE has been charged with escaping custody, after allegedly stealing a prison garbage truck to flee a Glen Innes jail yesterday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Yesterday’s jailbreak is the second incident of its kind at the minimum-security Glen Innes Correctional Centre in less than a month, and in court this morning police will allege the 45-year-old inmate drove out of the prison grounds.
It’s alleged the inmate got behind the wheel of the white Isuzu garbage truck inside the prison, before fleeing towards the coast.
But his time on the run was just a matter of hours, with police claiming he was spotted by an off-duty Corrective Services officer about 10km out of Grafton.
“Just prior to 1 o’clock, a corrections officer driving along the road sighted the vehicle and recognised the vehicle and the person,” Acting Grafton Inspector Darren Williams told The Leader.
“Police were alerted, and another corrections officer indicated for the vehicle to stop and it has stopped.
“He surrendered himself without any incident.”
The inmate was placed into police custody and taken to the Grafton Police Station, where he was charged with escaping lawful custody and illegal use of a vehicle.
He was refused bail by police to appear in court this morning.
The Leader understands the inmate was due for release in late June 2016.
Acting Inspector Williams said no one was injured during the incident and the vehicle was en route back to Glen Innes late yesterday.
“He has come away peacefully from it all,” he said.
“There have been no acts of violence. He has taken an opportunity and it was the wrong one.
“He was apprehended before he could do any damage.”
The escape is the second since October, when two inmates broke out of their units; one was recaptured the next day by an off-duty officer.
Marcus Buchanan remains on the run and police said he has links to the Grafton and Kempsey areas, and they believe he is hiding from authorities.
He’s described as Aboriginal in appearance, with a medium build, about 165cm tall with various tattoos, and is missing part of his right little finger.
A Corrective Services spokesman said inquiries into the incident were continuing last night.