Escaped prisoner nabbed in St Lucia, returned to St Vincent

After almost two years on the run, the long arm of the law finally caught up with fugitive Wilford Woodley.{{more}}

Woodley was nabbed by St Lucian authorities this past weekend and was returned to St Vincent on Monday.

The 26-year-old Richland Park man escaped custody of prison authorities on February 19, 2010, while he was at the High Court for a bail hearing on a robbery charge.

His bail application was denied.

Woodley was on remand, after being charged with committing a brazen midday robbery in Kingstown on January 26, 2010. It is alleged that Woodley snatched a woman’s purse and fled the scene. Reports also are that Woodley, armed with a gun, fired shots at the police while engaged in the chase.

He was later caught in the Sally Spring area, on the outskirts of Kingstown, but the gun allegedly used in the matter was not recovered.

Following denial of bail, Woodley sat in the courtroom with other prisoners waiting to be escorted back to prison for remand.

SEARCHLIGHT reported in February 2010 that Woodley casually slipped past the prison officers and made his way to the lawyers’ robing room, which is adjacent to the courtroom.

Woodley then made his smooth escape through a door in the room, which leads directly to the front of the courthouse.

Woodley is expected to appear in the Serious Offences Court to answer criminal charges.(KW)