by Linda Straker
- Recapture occurred in the Old Fort area
- Phillip hospitalised under guard
- Tip-off citizen action “patriotic civic duty”
National security officials have admitted that the capturing of escaped prisoner Hayden Phillip was as a result of a tip-off from a citizen, but the EC$5,000 reward which was offered will not be paid out because the citizen sees their action as a patriotic civic duty.
“The person does not wish to be publicly recognised nor will they be accepting the financial reward offered. This is one of the silent heroes who believes the action taken by providing the tip-off to law enforcement is a civic duty aimed at maintaining law and order,” a national security official said, confirming that the recapturing of Phillip — who escaped from the prison on Thursday, 10 January 2019 — was solely on the searching of the team of prison and police officers who were assigned to recapture the prisoner.
The 35-year-old Phillip who is serving time for a robbery and is awaiting a criminal trial for rape was recaptured on Saturday, 19 January in the Old Fort residential area overlooking the city, within proximity to Cherry Hill, his village of residence when not in prison.
8 days after evading prison and to police engaged in searching for him, the prison service offered a reward of EC$5,000 to anyone who could provide information that would lead to Phillip’s recapture.
Details of his recapture have not been shared publicly, but Phillip who was described by police as a dangerous convict, was shot in the leg in the process. As of Monday, 21 January 2019 he is hospitalised at the St George’s General Hospital with prison officers on guard.
Besides his pending charges in the system, he is expected to face additional criminal charges including escaping lawful custody.
Section 378 (1) of the Criminal Code states: “Whoever, being in lawful custody for crime, or escape under any sentence of imprisonment, endeavours to resist or prevent the execution of the law by escaping or permitting himself to be rescued, shall be liable to imprisonment for two years.”
The code also explains that where a person in lawful custody under any sentence of imprisonment escapes, the time during which he is at large shall not be considered in computing the term of his original sentence.
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IT gives great pleasure as a Grenadian living in the USA ,to read an article like this one . As a citizen of Grenada we all have the moral obligation to report crimes and issues of this nature , to law enforcement officers. Reading about these crimes as the one perpetrated by this individual seems to be on the rise in our homeland , therefore everyone of us has the moral responsibility of helping to make our country a better place for all to live peacefully. This should be paramount when it comes to our children, they deserve a safe environment to grow up and become productive citizens of our country, we also need to think about the tourism industry which is a vital part of our economy , when this area is affected by issues of this nature we all suffer. In my closing I’ll like to give a big thank you to the individual or individuals who reported the escapee to law enforcement, you did the right thing and remember that sometimes its not always about the money, you have definitely set the bar for others to follow. It would be great it the law enforcement community passed on the token of the reward to an organization that helps children that have been abused ,that would be a very happy ending for all . Thank you