Man gets a year in jail for escaping police custody

After spending a day in jail, one defendant decided he would rather not, but failure to remain free has resulted in another conviction.

Colin Blake was brought to the Serious Offences Court this Tuesday charged that on July 31, while being in police custody for burglary, he escaped while at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH). Blake replied that he was guilty for the offence.

The 41-year-old Georgetown resident was remanded on Monday by Magistrate Bertie Pompey for burglary. Soon after, authorities at the prison alerted the police that the defendant needed ‘medical attention.’

Blake was carried to the MCMH, and he was being treated by the staff nurse, when, after his handcuffs were removed, the defendant pushed the nurse and “made good his escape.”

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) was informed and a WANTED bulletin was issued. After investigating, the police were able to locate Blake, who said nothing.

The defendant continued this trend of silence before Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias, with little to say other than that he did not push the nurse.

He also asked, while scratching his head, for a “little small time.”

In sentencing, Browne-Matthias told Blake, “You pleaded guilty to the offence the first time you came to court. So I’ll give you a bonus.”

She continued, “But the circumstances of this case are not at all pleasant, neither is your conviction record, which is quite lengthy.”

She said that she doesn’t know if “is a little small thing” as he described, she sentenced him to a year imprisonment.