Man fined $2,000 for escaping police custody in Barbados

Rico Jamal Brathwaite has been fined $2,000 for escaping lawful custody nearly four years ago, with the court warning that an eight-month prison term would follow if the penalty was not paid.

Man fined $2,000 for escaping police custody in Barbados

A resident of Foul Bay, St Philip, has been ordered to pay a $2,000 penalty after pleading guilty to fleeing lawful detention in July 2022. Judicial officials warned Rico Jamal Brathwaite that an eight-month jail term would be imposed if the money was not handed over.

The escape took place on July 9, 2022, while the defendant was detained at Oistins Police Station on suspicion of robbery. Court records indicate that during a trip to wash, he wrenched himself from the officer guarding him, vaulted a wicket gate, and sprinted out of the building. A pair of officers attempted to pursue him but he successfully evaded capture.

After ten days on the run, Brathwaite gave himself up alongside his legal representative and provided an account of his actions. He stated that he had gone to the station voluntarily on July 7 to address the robbery allegation. At that time, he informed detectives that security cameras in Oistins could support his claim of innocence and asked them to review the recordings thoroughly.

In his written explanation, he described how a brief interrogation on Friday evening ended with him being told he would face robbery charges. Unable to rest afterward, he became overwhelmed and resolved to flee during his morning wash. He acknowledged that he managed to get away from the facility.

Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell began with a baseline punishment of 18 months. She treated the extended period spent avoiding arrest and his cannabis consumption as factors that worsened his position. On the other hand, she weighed in his favour his lack of prior convictions, his voluntary return to authorities, assessments showing minimal risk of future offending, and his demonstrated remorse.

The judge remarked that although his motivation did not reduce culpability, it suggested he felt investigators had overlooked video evidence that might have exonerated him. She stressed that such grievances should be channeled through an attorney rather than through flight from detention.

Adjustments for his personal circumstances and admission of guilt brought the default sentence down to eight months behind bars, applicable only if the financial penalty remained unsettled. The amount was subsequently paid in full.

Source: Barbados Today

Source: Barbados Today