Escapee For Sentence

Grey River Argus, 10 August 1948, Page 8

Escapee For Sentence

The story of an escape from the Westport gaol, was told in Westport Police Court yesterday, when Russell David. Alexander Blackburn, was charged before Messrs C. H. Thomas and G. Aiken, J’sP. with having broken gaol on August 3. Blackburn was convicted and remanded for sentence to the Supreme Court at Christchurch. Constable Condon said he arrested Blackburn on the Kartigi at 11.45 p.m. on Saturday. Blackburn had escaped frqm lawful custody while being trafisferred from the prison to another at Mangere, Auckland on June 29. He and Constables Williams and Paul, arrested Blackburn on August 3, and placed him in the lock-up at Westport. Constable Condon said that shortly afterwards, Blackburn had knocked on the door, and had been taken to the convenience by Constable Williams. While there, he apparently found a screw-driver left there by a Public Works Department employee. Blackburn had used this to prise up two floor boards in a cupboard at the end of a passage, and made his escape. Blackburn had been allowed to use this passage so that he could move about owing to the cold day, said Constable Condon.