‘Religious fervour’ in prison escape

Press, 9 August 1980, Page 4

‘Religious fervour’ in prison escape

Bruce Maxwell Taylor, aged 29, a self-employed sign writer, had escapedfrom Paparua Prison last! month “out of religious con-! victions,” said counsel (Mrl H. Dunlop) in the District! Court yesterday. Sergeant A. R. Bleakeley said the defendant, a trusted prisoner, had escaped on July 23. He was found to be missing at the lunch hour muster and an immediate search had failed to locate him. On July 31, acting on information received, police went to a city flat where they found Taylor hiding under a bed. Mr Dunlop said it was an unusual case as there was no premeditation. Taylor had simply felt “called” and had headed off towards the city.

He said that there had been a “crescendo” in the defendant’s religious fervour

which had terminated iA his escape. > Taylor, he said, had proselytised within the prison and this had reached saturation point, said Mr Dunlop. Wearing prison gear he had made no attempt to avoid • detection and had walked along several main streets, said Mr Dunlop. Judge Bisphan said although he had some reservations he accepted Taylor’s reason for leaving the prison. However, the reasons why people escaped were not-the over-riding factors to be considered. “I have to deal with this matter on a temporal, secular basis. If the courts do not take steps to provide a deterrent others might try to follow suit,” he told Taylor. The two months he imposed would be additional to

the three years Taylor was already serving, said the Judge.