Prisoner facing armed robbery charges flees from court lockups

A prisoner who has been on remand for five months for allegedly committing fourteen offences yesterday escaped from the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court lockups after forcing his way out by attacking a police officer.

Frederick Peters, 29, of 3715 North Ruimveldt was brought before Magistrate Cecil Sullivan on September 8 and was refused bail. Peters who was granted $550,000 bail yesterday by Magistrate Oneidge Walrond-Allicock at Court Six was waiting in the court lockups to be transported back to prison when he escaped.

According to an eyewitness, a police officer was in the process of placing two additional persons in the court lockups when Peters attacked him with a sharp instrument and ran off. He escaped through a gate at the back of the court and headed up Croal Street before going onto King Street where he disappeared. Other police officers were informed and a search was launched for Peters. The officer who was attacked suffered no injuries.

On his first appearance in Court One, Peters was refused bail on ten counts of robbery under arms, one count of threatening a police officer, abduction and having a dangerous weapon without a reasonable excuse.

It is alleged that between May 24 and September 4, 2006 he robbed ten persons carting off over $1,088,000 in jewellery, a cellular phone, cash and other items. He also reportedly threatened city policeman Quincy Trotman, had a Rambo knife with no reasonable excuse and abducted Adilah Sabree. A press release from the police yesterday afternoon stated that they are investigating the circumstances under which Peters escaped from the court lockups at 12:15hrs. The release added that Peters was on remand for 9 counts of robbery under arms and had pushed open the door while the police was about to put two prisoners in the lockups. During his escape bid he used a sharp metal instrument to evade capture and fled into Croal Street, the release added.

Investigations are continuing.