Prisoner’s Escape From Law Courts

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28343, 31 July 1957, Page 11

Prisoner’s Escape From Law Courts

(Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, July 29. Alfred George Hinds today described how he was helped by a “notorious locksmith” when he escaped from the London Law Courts by locking his guards into a lavatory. He was giving evidence at the trial of his 38-year-old brother, Albert James Hinds, and 25-year-old John Madia, who pleaded not guilty to helping Alfred to escape. Alfred Hinds is serving a 12year sentence for his part in a £38,000 store (jobbery. After his dash from the Law Courts and recapture last month, he went on a hunger strike. today’s hearing Alfred said he approached a fellow prisoner, a “notorious locksmith,” who was-about to be discharged, and told Hint that if he could And a key V fit the lavatory door in the Law 'Oourts, he would be able to escape bv locking his escort inside. The locksmith said he would get a. , key andput it under a table in a corner of the Ms# canteen.

But Hinds said that when he' came to the table he had a shock. There was no key.

Instead there was a small parcel secured by adhesive plaster in which was a padlock. Hinds then described how, as he passed the lavatory in the Law Courts with his two escorts, he saw two new chromium screw eyes in a lavatory door and in the door frame “absolutely glaring in their newness.” He realised they had been put there on which to lock the padlock smuggled to himy “I went to the lavatory door. I had a packet of papers in my left hand and my mackintosh in my right, where I also held the lock,” Hinds said. One of the officers went straight in, Hinds said. He pushed the other in, closed the door and clicked on the lock. While the escorts were shouting and pounding on the door, he passed through groups of solicitors, clerks and clients, out into the street. (Alfred Hinds was recaptured a few hours later as he tried to ooard an aircraft for Ireland.* During today’s bearing, Alfred’s brother, Albert, said he usually went to Cpurt when Alfred was appealing. He denied thatf he had aAv foreknowledge that

Alfred was going to try to escape. Albert said he heard someone shout "Hinds” in the Law Courts, and suspected his brother might have made a getaway. He thought he had better not be there, but as he turned to leave, a door crashed open and two men were disgorged. They shouted, “That’s him,” and as they were looking towards him, he ran, said Albert. As he was walking along outside to meet Maffia on other business, he spotted his brother. The hearing was adjourned until tomorrow. Stringent security precautions were taken during today’s hearing. At times during the hearing Alfred’s voice dropped to a whisper. His wife explained later that his hunger strike, during which he had lost nearly 301 b, had been responsible for that.