By Demion McTair. Updated 4:55 a.m., Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
Some prisoners wish for freedom while others take it, albeit temporarily.
Over the past three years, prisoners held at the Belle Isle Correctional Facility in North Leeward and at Her Majesty’s Prison (now His Majesty’s Prison) have made successful attempts to escape lawful custody.
Here are three times when prisoners temporarily escaped jail over the last three years:
Wednesday, December 9, 2020: Veron Primus, who was at the time accused of murder, escaped prison for the second time. Another murder accused – Ulrick “Chucky” Hanson had also escaped at that time.
Both men returned to police custody. After turning himself in, Primus said that it took both him and Hanson about two days to cut through the roof of Her Majesty’s Prison to escape.
He was charged with damaging government property and escaping lawful custody.
Primus’ first prison escape was between September 30 and October 1, 2019.
On Friday, December 16, 2022, Veron Primus was jailed for 34 years for the 2015 murder of 33-year-old Sharleen Greaves of Calliaqua.
According to Pix11, Veron Primus was indicted in absentia for the 2006 murder of Brooklyn honors student Chanel Petro-Nixon.
Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said on NBC Radio on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, that a Commission of Inquiry may be launched on the prison breakout, of Primus and Hanson depending on a number of things.
Saturday, May 1, 2021: Orwin Small, a Campden Park resident escaped from the Belle Isle Correctional Facility on Saturday 1st May 2021 while working on the Belle Isle farm. He was serving a two years sentence for burglary.
Small was turned over to the authorities by a civilian on Thursday 3rd June 2021 at the Questelles Police Station.
Wednesday, March 1, 2023: Christopher Dasent escaped while performing duties on the farm of the Belle Isles Correctional Facility on Wednesday, March 1, 2023.
Christopher Dasent is a 42-year-old farmer of Mesopotamia, who is serving a twelve months prison sentence for Burglary and Criminal Trespass. He’s dark in complexion, 5 feet 8 inches in height, and weighs about 160 pounds.
Up to press time, he was not recaptured.
Honourable mention:
Monday, April 4, 2022: Alanzo Bailey of Old Montrose escaped lawful custody at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) on April 4, 2022.
He was an inmate who was being held in isolation for COVID-19. According to reports, Bailey used one of the hospital bedsheets to move from his ward to a lower floor. According to a Searchlight Newspaper report, Bailey told the court that he was frustrated at having no one to speak to.
Notable prison/police custody escapes in neighbouring countries:
Grenada
Thursday, January 10, 2019: Police in Grenada issued a wanted bulletin for escaped prisoner Hayden Phillip, 35, of Cherry Hill, St. George after he was discovered missing at about 3:45 p.m. from the Richmond Hills Prisons on Thursday 10th January 2019.
After about 10 days on the run, Phillip was recaptured in a police operation which left him with a gunshot wound in his leg.
St. Lucia
Saturday, March 21, 2020: Several prisoners of the Bordelais Correctional Facility (BCF) in St. Lucia escaped the penal facility on the afternoon of March 21, 2020,” Loop News reported.
Monday, October, 12, 2020: Police in St. Lucia launched a manhunt for a 27-year-old Jamaican man who escaped custody on October 12, 2020.
The escapee – Orville Pernel escaped from the Babonneau Police Station, police said.
“Pernel was charged on Thursday, October 8, 2020, for causing the death Cleus Alfred,” Superintendent of Crime Management, George Nicholas, told reporters,” Jamaica Gleaner reported.
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