POLICE CELL ESCAPE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 276, 26 October 1925, Page 10

POLICE CELL ESCAPE.

THE THREE MEN IN COURT. BAR SEVERED WITH HACKSAW

AUCKLAND, Oct. 22. As a sequel to their sensational escape from a cell at the Auckland police station on September 9 James Harold O’Brien, aged 29, Gustav Henry Hansen, aged 24, and Ernest John Brasting, aged 28 (Mr Blakev), appeared in the Police Court charged with escaping from lawful custody. Chief-detective Cummings prosecuted. Acting-Detective McWhirter said the accused were committed to the &upreme Court for trial on indictable charges. They were sentenced to imprisonment on other charges. After being sentenced they applied to the Court for permission to remain at the police cells overnight as they wished the police to obtain witnesses for their defence. They escaped that evening. After their recapture they vyero interviewed by witness. Brasting said lie experienced difficulty in getting through tho hole they had made in the cell hut Hansen crawled through very easily. Constable G. Edwards said lie was in charge of the watch-house at the police station from 9 o’clock at night until 5 o’clock next morning: He saw the accused in the cell at 9.55, and they had disappeared when .accompanied by Sergeant Felton; he again inspected it at 10.50 p.m. The cell door was still securely locked. An iron bar, measuring loin, by three-quarters of an inch square, had been cut out of the in the cell and an opening about loin, by Bin. was made. The bar could have been severed with tho liack-savv blade produced, which was found on top of a wall dividing tho cell and a lavatory. The piece of bar was among some blankets in the cell. Constable Sutherland said lie arrested Hansen at a quarter to one on the morning of September 10, at a coffee stall in Quay street. Hansen bad 9s 7d in his possession. Detective O’Sullivan said that O’Brien and Brasting were arrested on Pigeon Mountain, Pakuranga, at about 2 o’clock on the afternoon of September 12. The three accused pleaded not guilty and were committed to the Supreme Court for trial.