Convict said he didn’t escape from lock-ups but from office of the station

On March 23 Deochan Phillips was at the Kitty Police Station in lawful custody during the investigation of a breaking and entering report when he escaped.

He pleaded guilty to the charge but offered to give the court an explanation.

Phillips, 41, a cook, of 105 Woodley Village, West Coast Berbice told the court that he was in custody at the Prashad Nagar outpost when the alleged break in took place.

He said he was placed in 72-hour custody for allegedly “walking late”. He added that he was released and two days later while walking along the ‘line-top’, he was picked up and taken to the police station where he was accused of the crime.

He said he did not escape from the lock-ups but from the office of the station. He said he was guilty of leaving the station but not for the crime of breaking and entering. He pleaded for the court’s leniency.

Police Prosecutor Inspector Stephen Telford told the court that the defendant was arrested in relation to a break and enter offence, which was being investigated when he was placed in the lock-ups at Kitty Police Station. However, when the officers were going to interview him, he was discovered missing.

Checks were made in the area and the defendant was found in a yard along the railway embankment, where he was rearrested.

Phillips was then sentenced to one year in prison.