Hospital prison escaper quickly apprehended

Hamilton Police are crediting the close relationship between government departments in being crucial in the timely apprehension of a prison inmate attempting to escape from Waikato Hospital.

Hospital Liaison Officer, Constable Heath Cameron, said a 24-year-old inmate, under the care of Department of Corrections staff, attempted to escape by climbing into a ceiling cavity while in a toilet about 11am.

"The man has then crawled along to an access tunnel and managed to get down to the floor below and smashed his way into an administrative area.

"Fortunately for us the alarm was raised very quickly by the Corrections staff and by hospital workers who heard him banging against the wall and working together he was arrested by Police with assistance of the guards and hospital security."

Mr Cameron said a major contributor to the quick recapture of the inmate was the strong relationship between Police and the Waikato District Health Board.

"Because of this I am often working at the hospital and we have a very strong link with the on-site security staff, this enabled us to quickly respond when the alarm was raised and at no time did the inmate manage to escape the building.

"He will appear in the Hamilton District Court this afternoon on a charge of escaping lawful custody."

Further queries in relation into the incident should be directed to the Department of Corrections Communications Team on 04 4603365.

ENDS


Date: 14 December 2011

Contact:
Andrew McAlley
Communications Manager
Waikato Police District
07 834 9444
027 296 2396
andrew.mcalley@police.govt.nz