PRISON ESCAPER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27388, 13 May 1950, Page 7

PRISON ESCAPER

Darcy Dugan’s Bid For Freedom FIFTH BREAK FAILS NZPA—Copyright SYDNEY, May 12. Shortly after being committed for trial with William Mears for having escaped from his cell on December 15. Darcy Ezekiel Dugan made another break for freedom. He was moving from- the court, handcuffed to Mears and guarded by two warders and a policeman, when suddenly he slipped his handcuff and sDrinted along the passage. Chased by the police, with pistols drawn, he dived through a glass swing door, landed on a shoulder in a passageway, regained his feet, and turned towards the main vestibule. Seeing the police converging from that direction, he ran towards a side door, and was almost through when a court orderly jammed him in the halfopen door, at the same time securing a throat hold. Dugan was uninjured in the scuffle, and was again handcuffed to Mears, who had made no attempt to follow. The police are puzzled how Dugan slipped his handcuff, which was of standard ratchet pattern. , Earlier this week Dugan was believed to be involved in a. plan to escape from Long Bay Gaol, which was revealed to the authorities. Darcy Dugan has made four previous escapes from custody. The most sensational was the escape, with Mears, on December 15, which saw them at liberty for 62 days. During the search it was thought they might have escaped to New Zealand, and a special watch in this connection was instituted. However, the men were at large in Australia, and in the period before they were rearrested on February 14 they were responsible for a series of serious crimes. On recapture they faced charges of armed assault; shooting with intent to murder; wounding with intent to murder; and several charges of armed robbery, including the holding up of two pay-roll cars.