Police Commissioner says security at Belle Isle is at 100 per cent

While two inmates recently escaped the state-of-the-art prison facility at Belle Isle, Commissioner of Police, Michael Charles says security at the Belle Isle prison facility is at 100 per cent.{{more}}

Responding to questions from journalists, about the February 22 escape of Trinidadian Desmond Pavy, Charles said he is satisfied with the security at the facility, and it is beyond him how the prisoner managed to escape.

“Security at Belle Isle is always 100 per cent. I still maintain that. An investigation is currently underway,” Charles said.

Pavy, 42, and fellow Trinidadians Jovel Espinoza and Terry Bannister were all serving nine-year sentences on drug related charges, following a high-speed boat chase between them and the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Coastgaurd on May 24, 2011.

During the chase the men threw bales of marijuana into the sea, but 11 of them were recovered, totalling 472 pounds.

The men were sentenced in March 2012.

It is not clear if Pavy is still here or has absconded the jurisdiction.

Pavy is the second man to have escaped prison authorities’ custody at the Belle Isle facility since it became operational in April 2012.

Colly Lowman of Georgetown, who was serving time for a robbery and wounding with intent conviction, escaped custody while on farm duties, sometime on Friday, December 6, last year.

He was escorted back to custody by lawyer Grant Connell less than a week later, and an extra year was added on to his 15-year sentence.

In November 2011, murder suspect Godwin Moses escaped from custody at Her Majesty’s Prison in Kingstown, and was shot dead by police three weeks later in the Mount Wynne area.