Great Escapes (from NSW prisons) - Number 3

R v Ravet [1999] NSW Court of Criminal Appeal 63

As you can imagine, one of the weak points in securing prisoners is transporting them to and from the gaol. Extra precautions are taken, as well as extra care in the transportation. This case is a particular highlight, not because of the ingenuity of the offender, or the daringness of the escape, but because of the ease with which he completed it.

After a long day in court, during this offender’s transportation back to the gaol, this offender managed to escape. While there was some doubt as to the exact nature of the operation, the offender claimed that he was able to escape simply by pushing on the door of the van in which he was being carried.

Of course the prison guards denied that this was the case and put forward the idea that the offender had somehow managed to manipulate the lock and to force open the door. While this was theoretically possible, it appeared unlikely for a couple of reasons: firstly, the lock was wholly on the outside of the van; and secondly the offender was recaptured within minutes, after hurting himself trying to jump over a fence, with his handcuffs still on.

A fail for both the offender and the prison guards.