Prison Break - True Stories of the World's Greatest Escapes

182 Pages·2012·1.12 MB·English

by  Paul Buck

Contents
Title Page
Acknowledgements
Over the Walls and Far Away

I Time to Go
II Going Places
III Under Your Noses
IV Not Stopping
V Who Goes There?
VI Up and Over
VII Into the Blue Beyond
VIII Forcing the Issue
IX Beyond the Bounds
X Taking Their Leave
XI Room to Move

Bibliography
Index of Escapees, Would-Be Escapees, and (Named) Associates
Copyright
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
On a broad level, my thanks extend to all those books, newspapers, magazines
and website resources that I have used for research, not only in recent times
but over the years. Many are found in my own library, but I have also turned to
the London Borough of Bexley’s libraries, and thank all those employed there –
particularly in Sidcup and Central Library – for their efforts, including their
search for books which were catalogued but seemed to have gone walkabout or
escaped.
I would also like to acknowledge here three different friendships dating back
to the 1970s: Paul Walton, the sociologist, who in those heady days turned me
onto media studies, the issue of deviancy, and Psychological Survival, the
research work from Durham Prison that was plainly helpful to Walter Probyn,
John McVicar and others; Roger Jean Ségalat, in Lausanne, who involved me in
factual crime writing; and, in Paris, Jean-Patrick Manchette, with whom I shared
hours of dialogue and correspondence on crime and crime writing.
Back further, perhaps I should note my class year at a Catholic grammar
school in the late fifties and early sixties for opening my eyes to criminal matters
and helping to create my own inclinations, way before I discovered ideas
through Colin Wilson, Albert Camus and Georges Bataille, to name but a few
barbed wires.
To return to this particular book: my thanks to Cass Pennant, the publisher,
who responded directly to my proposition; to Paul Woods, who instigated my
involvement, helped pursue contacts, and indeed provided an interview that
gives fresh information, as well as making editorial contributions; to others,
some of whom are named in the text but who may not want to be named here –
though I think Patsy Fleming, Dennis Woods, Terry Dunford, Beryl Smith and
Terry Smith will not mind being credited for their help. And thanks also to Colin
Lane for coming to the rescue over a problematic tape.
And finally to my wife, Catherine, who, as always, helped with my research
and also diligently read and contributed to all aspects of what I’ve written. To
her, my deep gratitude and love. This book is dedicated to her.
OVER THE WALLS AND FAR AWAY
As the prisons of Britain grow desperately overcrowded, now is the time to
consider escape. In fact, it would be morally irresponsible not to consider it,
for when the authorities state that they must break the rules, the safety limits, to
house all their miscreants, it becomes necessary to talk about escape as a way to
safeguard the mental and physical wellbeing of those incarcerated in our prisons.
Unless, that is, you wish merely to damn them and leave them to their lot. If
so, this is not the book for you.
Perhaps, too, we should reconsider the point of additional sentences for those
recaptured after their escapes, unless they have committed other offences in the
process. In some countries, it is legally acceptable to seek to escape because it is
regarded as only human to do so.
The focus of this book is notorious escapes, or ‘great escapes’, but only those
of civilian prisoners. The idea is not to document escapes from the PoW camps
of World War Two, for example, no matter how spectacular and heart-stopping
many of them happen to be. Undoubtedly, we think of the Great Escape itself,
Colditz and the Wooden Horse as part of our history, so much so that the
accounts of civilian escapees since 1946 regularly refer to those historic wartime
episodes, either because they were inspired to take on board particular details for
their own escapes, or because the spirit and courage of the wartime escapees
have fired successive prisoners with a sense of their own personal challenge.
Steve McQueen in The Great Escape echoes through so many of their stories that
his image, leaping the first fence on a motorbike, would not have been out of
place on this book’s cover – even if no one here has taken that course of action
as a mode of escape.
That said, I have included the IRA (Irish Republican Army) because, though a
paramilitary organisation, their crimes were resolutely regarded as criminal
rather than political, and thus, on the British government’s own terms, they have
every right to be included here. (Another approach might have included those
who escaped over the Berlin Wall during the Cold War, as one could view the
Eastern Bloc on the whole as a prison.)
Our focus on civilian prisoners indicates that the escapees are those
incarcerated for crimes, mainly robbery or murder. However, in general, I have
rarely dwelt on the details of how those included found themselves in custody,
unless it becomes necessary to the narrative. Likewise, the structure of London
gangland, for example, is barely taken into account, as these matters are not
particularly relevant to this work.
My intention has been to explore how the prisoner escaped, not to pursue the
reason why. That would be another book in itself, and would include such
reasons as: refusal of permission to attend a family funeral; to spend a few days
with the family, wife or girlfriend, particularly if there was turbulence in the
relationship; to prove one’s innocence; or to carry out a job that’s been lined up
which will set the prisoner up for life (or so he hopes) – as well as the
fundamental reason that people do not want to be imprisoned. Such a book
would also have to explore strategies and stratagems to prevent escape.
This is a book about the escapee who thinks of little other than escape from
the moment he is confined, as well as those who take the opportunity when it
arises … be it a rope dangling over the prison wall or a door left unlocked, or
open.
Why some people should escape while others do not is far from discernible.
Some prisoners have observed that if someone is imprisoned for short spells they
tend not to try to escape, whereas those same people may react more
dramatically against a long sentence. Perhaps there is no real answer, but we can
glean an insight or two as we examine individual cases.
Alfred Hinds, a master of escaping, summed up his observations thus: “The
vast majority of prisoners are resigned if not content to do their bird. Some will
escape if the chance is handed to them on a plate. But all they want is a brief
taste of freedom; for instance, the chance to spend a few days with their wife or
girlfriend. It usually is a brief taste, because they have no organisation and it’s
almost a relief to them when they’re recaptured. Then there’s a small hard core
of determined men who will plan an escape and go through with it. These are
usually prisoners with long sentences of P.D. [preventive detention] but nothing
to come out to. If a professional criminal has managed to salt away some loot,
he’ll accept a sentence of five years or even more. If he hasn’t, he’ll want to get
out and pull off a big job, after which he won’t mind too much being re-arrested.
In his curious logic, he accepts his sentence as a just reward. The snag is that, if
caught, he gets another and longer term of imprisonment.”
This book has primarily been an adventure in unravelling the different
approaches to escape. I am not sure that, like many an escapee, I knew where it
would lead, if I would draw any conclusions, or if I would end up back at the
beginning. But I suspected that, in the process, I would discover something
about my attitude to the issues raised. Perhaps one cannot ask for more. Perhaps
this is what I want for the reader.
Here you will find escapes that begin in the cell, the showers, the laundry, the
mailroom, the yard. Here you will discover those who go over the wall, under
the wall, through the gate. Here you will see helicopters at work, or transit
vehicles brought to a halt. Here you will find the planned escape, as well as the
opportune escape. And you will witness the escape of the loner who does not
require the involvement of others – or that of the escapee who requires help from
fellow inmates, or from an insider, like a corrupt officer providing tools or
weapons. Or from the friends and relatives who smuggle in requested items, or
provide getaway cars.
Any notion of strict categorisation does not work, for the encyclopaedic
method hinders readability. One slight regret is that I had to cut back for the sake
of length, to take away some of the details of the planning, the frustration, the
perseverance noted by the escapees themselves, even if the sheer number of
cases does convey a further dimension. It has not been my job to plot every
move until recapture … or, indeed, the lives afterwards of those who are not
recaptured.
One of the remarkable factors to emerge time and time again is the amount of
care, attention and energy given to an escape, only to see it fizzle into a sketchy
series of possibilities once the escapee gets his leg over the wall. Not everyone
has plans, beyond the plan to get away. They may not know where they will
hide, where they will run to, or how they will continue to stay out. Some, as
noted, are really only going out for a short break, perhaps only intending to see
their families, knowing they will be quickly recaptured. Some have money
available from their crimes to flee abroad, for there are still countries where no
extradition treaties are fully operational. For many years it was the Spanish
coastline, the ‘Costa del Crime’, although that is not officially the case today.
But extradition has not been retrospectively applied, and it is still a popular
residence for escapees – probably because they can blend in more easily
amongst the world of former criminals, as well as the general British contingent
of ex-pats.
The use of the masculine ‘he’ is quite noticeable too, for all but a few escapes
are by men. This is no gender bias on my part. I have included the few women I
unearthed, though I could probably have found others. However, the intent was
not to excavate for the sake of it, but rather to demonstrate the breadth and the
resourcefulness of the escapees. Whilst I focus on some because of their
distinctive aspects, I offer others to provide context. Likewise, whilst this study
draws from a wealth of British cases, I give some perspective on other escapes
from all around Europe and the rest of the world.
And whilst I didn’t want to delve through history in any great depth, I felt that
a handful of comparisons from the past would add another dimension. To escape
today, in a practical sense, is very different from escaping thirty years ago – let
alone three hundred years ago, even if, on another level, it is still the spirit of
Man that is making that bid for freedom.
This is not an endless list of escapes all subjected to the same degree of
analysis. What I wanted was to show the sheer bravado, the courage, the daring,
that comprises the strength of the human spirit, which is to be cherished. And
yes, I am aware that there are escapes that have led to further murders – indeed, I
was horrified by some of the events as I read through them. But it is the spirit of
Man that I am celebrating, through all his triumphs and adversities, without
which mankind may well not survive.
I have refrained from getting too technical by categorising prisoners as A, B,
C … or the varying levels of risk classification, as ‘standard escape risk’, ‘high
escape risk’ or ‘exceptional escape risk’, as these have changed over the years
and across the different countries. In general, those who feature are prisoners
who have escaped before and have the ‘escape risk’ label attached to their name,
if not to their prison apparel. The term ‘E-list’ – ‘escape-list’ in UK Home Office
terminology – is not intended as a restricting or defining term, as the ground
covered goes way back before such official terminology was employed.
However, these are all people who would have been on an ‘E-list’, people who
made it their aim, or in some cases claimed it was their duty, to escape.
Though I am drawing on many angles for my information, the viewpoint that
interests me the most has to come from those who have experienced escaping
from prison. Whether their crimes are seen as horrendous, or more mainstream
(albeit perhaps major); whether we have admired them for it, or been aghast at
their further offences. But, at the end of the day, we, as readers, were not there,
did not experience the fear and violence that stemmed from some of these men’s
actions. As Tommy Wisbey’s daughter, Marilyn, notes in her autobiography, it’s
very romantic to read about them, but if you are in the midst of a robbery,
whether being committed with guns or coshes, you never know if those weapons
are going to be used.
This may come across as an intense book, because I’ve tried to trim away
some of the frills; yet, at the same time, I wanted to preserve some of the
character of those involved. There are no rules as to what I left in and what I
took out. My desire was to keep you reading, to view the tragedies along with
the humorous aspects, to add probable annoyance as well as offering possible
justification.
But I did want to lean toward the side of the escapee, though not for any
moralising purpose. Most criminals are not proud of being criminals. Some had a
raw deal. Most knew what they were doing. That is not my concern. I wanted to
give their stories because they were the ones locked in a cell for years on end.
Many gave every waking hour, unless distracted, to focusing on escape.
We may pass comment on the neighbour who locks their dog in a kitchen
whilst they go to work. We might empathise with the poor beast whining away.
And yet we don’t want to give much thought to the human being who is locked
away, and who does not make much noise … or, if he does, we find ourselves
unsympathetic. But if you condemn this man, then you condemn part of your
own spirit.
The idea of escaping, or absconding, from prison – or indeed any form of
custody, like transport vans, police stations, law courts – has been etched into
our psyche in modern times by television and cinema, often making the event
more spectacular, more thrilling, perhaps somewhat romantic. All the heroes are
rugged and handsome, and it is probably no good for the real men in our prisons,
who we cannot see – the gangsters, criminals, ‘villains’, hardmen – to be
confused with film fantasies. For once they are out of prison, whether by escape
or official release, they face the agonising temptation to continue as a recidivist
rather than seek legitimate employment.
Walter Probyn turned away from the limelight. He may well recognise that he
has become a famed escapee, but he says he was not a competent criminal and
shouldn’t be emulated. Unlike many others, Probyn wished his talents could
have been developed and put to better use.
Bruce Reynolds (not an escapee himself, unlike some of his fellow Great
Train Robbers) has a different perspective: “Perhaps it was like what happens
when a footballer or mountaineer comes to the end of their career. They live
their entire life on the edge, but what happens when it’s all over, when you have
to stop? It was very hard for … us when we quit. When we came out of jail we
were old men, and too well known. We knew we had to stop for our families’
sake. But you never stop missing the buzz.” (My emphasis.)
Today’s prisoners are faced with more sophisticated technology to prevent
their escape. Everyone knows it will be more difficult. But then, at least one of
the escapes in this book occurred less than six months ago as I write. If there is a
weakness in the system, then the prisoner who is fixed on escaping, who is
watching and scheming, will take advantage of it.
And the greatest weakness will always be the human element, the guards and
officials who go about their job in a routine way and who slacken at their peril.
Equipment might become faulty, a camera may go on the blink, but it is
invariably the guard who just pops off to the toilet, who falls asleep, who
engages in convivial conversation and is lulled into a false sense of security, who
recurs repeatedly throughout these cases. The people who are employed as
guards are hardly likely to be among the brightest, and the probability is that
some of the prisoners are of substantially higher intelligence. Television
programmes feed us a diet of crime fiction where video cameras are properly
maintained and operated, which does not equate with reality. Talk to people who
live near a prison and they will tell you that there are periods when escapes over
the wall can become quite prolific. Those at fault fight hard to cover up their
inadequacies in not having prevented them.
It’s not that many years ago since the Chief Constable of Durham was
offering scare headlines in relation to the Great Train Robbers housed in Durham
Prison, suggesting these men and their associates would stop at nothing, “even to
the extent of using tanks, bombs and what the Army describes as limited atomic
weapons. Once armoured vehicles had breached the main gates there would be
nothing to stop them. A couple of tanks could easily have come through the
streets of Durham unchallenged.” How flattering to the convicted men. One has
the impression that the police chief was starring in his own movie: “If that
happened there would be a pitched battle and a lot of people would be killed.”
He could have appeared alongside Robert Duvall on the beach in Apocalypse
Now. Soldiers were posted with fixed bayonets. Extra police patrolled with dogs.
But nothing materialised. No helicopters came swooping in. And he said he was
trying to strip the criminals of their glamour!
In the first chapter, with Charlie Wilson, I’ve given greater detail to create
some sense of the atmosphere and the conditions. But it has not been my
intention to give all the details all the time. I have created rules, and I have
transgressed those rules at every turn. I make no apologies. Books have been
written by escapees like Hinds and Probyn not only to relate their habitual
escapes, but also to explore the reasons behind them. This book has to make