Female inmate tries to escape from Dodds

A female inmate at Dodds Prison in St Philip attempted to escape yesterday morning.

Sources told the Weekend Nation that this was the first time in the prison’s history a woman had tried to break out.

Reports indicated that the Jamaican national, who is set to be deported this weekend, managed to get over the first inner perimeter fence but gave up after she was seriously injured by the barbed wire, and was taken for medical treatment.

When contacted, Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams said: “I can confirm that someone sustained some injuries today while trying to get over a fence. I can confirm that a female sustained some injuries today as a result of barbed wire lacerations.”

He gave no further details. Informed sources said the recentlyincarcerated woman was serving a sixmonth sentence for theft. Her attempt to escape resulted in the prison being under lockdown for several hours.

Since 2007 when Dodds Prison was opened, while there have been many attempts by prisoners to escape, only two succeeded, sources said. That is because

it has a perimeter security system and CCTV cameras throughout.

Murder accused Tyreke Delandre Benskin escaped on September 21, 2023, but was held about a month later.

In 2021, a prisoner was shot during an escape attempt. At that time, he was being escorted on the compound by a female prison officer when he pulled away and ran. He too, only reached the inner perimeter fence.

In recent times, prison officials have expressed concern about the number of inmates who have successfully escaped custody while outside the prison.

Last Saturday, police went to a house in Seaview, St James, and captured convicted murderer Kishon Anderson Lemar Thomas who escaped custody while at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on May 2.

Kiron Darren Price-Walthrust, who escaped from Oistins Police Station on July 5, remains on the run. (MB)