THE capture of Joshua Duke in Worrigee on Thursday by Shoalhaven police has raised questions about how he managed to escape from the newly built South Coast Correctional Centre in the first place.
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Duke, who was on the run for 19 days before being arrested just a couple of blocks from a childcare centre, will appear in Nowra Local Court on Tuesday.
Although investigating officers were reticent to reveal exactly how Duke, a medium security prisoner, managed to escape from a low-security section of the jail it is believed he used two rubbish bins to scale the fence.
The Register believes Duke placed two rubbish bins on top of each other and used one as a springboard to gain access to the jail wall.
From there he managed to clamber over razor wire and then jumped between six and 10 metres to the ground before running off.
His breakout has sparked a major review of security systems and procedures at South Nowra, with South Coast MP Shelley Hancock demanding the Attorney General and Minister for Justice Greg Smith launch an investigation into the escape.
Local residents, who were furious that they weren’t notified of the escape of such a dangerous prisoner, have also called for a review of procedures for alerting nearby residents in the event of a breakout.
Acting on information Shoalhaven detectives and Nowra Police arrested Duke at an address in Robinia Way, Worrigee, at about 8am on Thursday morning.
He was arrested without incident, placed in custody and taken to Nowra Police Station.
He was charged with escaping custody and appeared before a bail sitting at Nowra Local Court late on Thursday, where bail was formally refused.
He was remanded in custody at the South Coast Correctional Centre until his next appearance in Nowra Local Court on Tuesday where he will face fresh charges of escaping custody as well as more than 50 offences.
It is alleged Duke held up service stations at Albion Park, Tomerong and Batemans Bay between 2am on January 15 and 12.30am on January 16.
He faces charges including three of robbery while armed with a dangerous weapon, firing a firearm at other than a dwelling with disregard to safety, two counts of failing to stop in a police pursuit and driving recklessly, using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention, resist police and assault police.
A 37-year-old Worrigee man, also living at the Robinia Way home, is assisting police with their inquiries.
