A PRISON inmate who had escaped from the Camp Street Prison, but was later recaptured was sentenced to 12 months for attempting to escape the Georgetown Penitentiary.

Ruco McIntyre, 27, admitted to the allegation, which stated that on February 12, while at Georgetown Prison, Camp Street, while he was awaiting trial on a simple larceny charge, which was dismissed on Monday, he escaped lawful custody.

McIntyre, the father of one, told Magistrate McLennan that he had tried to escape the Camp Street prison because he wanted to go home to see his child. Reports indicated that McIntyre, an inmate of the prison, was returning from church when he noticed the door of the prison’s watch tower opened.

Prison officials said a probe was launched into the escape. “There was an apparent breakdown in supervision after he church service ended. He slipped through to the other half of the prison yard and made his way up the tower, over the fence and then to John and Bent Streets,” Prison Director, Gladwin Samuels had told Demerara Waves Online News.

After McIntyre escaped members of the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) and police patrols gave chase and apprehended him at Hadfield and Lime Streets. Samuels said McIntyre showed signs of mental instability and he would have been sent to Psychiatrist, Dr. Bhiro Harry, during his scheduled monthly visit. McIntyre was not an aggressive inmate, according to Samuels.

At the time of Mc Intryre’s escape the security tower was not manned due to a staff shortage. He said off-duty staff members have since been called in to increase the number of personnel at the prison.