Man escapes Police custody

A man who escaped police custody and was on the run for three days appeared at the Serious Offences Court on Monday on two criminal charges.

Labourer Junior McKie, of Clare Valley, pleaded guilty at the Serious Offences Court on Monday to having one gram of cocaine in his possession on June 18 and to damaging property.{{more}}

Chief Magistrate Sonya young ordered that McKie pay $200 in two weeks or spend one month in prison.

The court heard that on June 18, 2008, the defendant was at the Questelles Police Station in respect of another matter. While there, he gave his mother a cigarette box, which was intercepted by the police. In that box, 10 small foil paper wrappings were found in a matchbox. They were found to contain the cocaine substance. He was cautioned and said “Officer ah coke, and is ah friend who give me dem.”

The drama unfolded when Mckie was seated in police transport “G2” to be taken to the Narcotics base on the cocaine matter. While seated in the jeep in handcuffs, Mckie leaped from his seat and fled police custody. The police gave chase, but Mckie was not caught until three days later.

Mckie was found around 6am on June 21 with the chain that joins the handcuffs broken. Police officers cautioned McKie and he explained that his hands were starting to swell when he took a saw and sawed off the chain.

For the damage to property, Magistrate Young bonded him to keep the peace for one year in the sum of $1,500 or spend six months in prison. He was also made to pay compensation of $155 for the damaged pair of handcuffs. Mckie was given two months to pay the fine or spend two weeks in jail.