Tashieka Mair, Freelance Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Court proceedings at the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court were temporarily disrupted yesterday when a prisoner jumped from the first floor of the building in an apparent bid to escape custody.

Desmond Stewart, who pleaded guilty to charges of robbery with aggravation, was admitted to the Cornwall Regional Hospital after he jumped through a set of glass windows in the fingerprint room on to a corridor and then over a wall.

Commanding officer for the St James Police Division, Superintendent Steve McGregor, confirmed yesterday that Stewart "sustained minor injuries" from the fall and will be back in custody.

The officer also said that Stewart - a resident of Barnett Lane in Montego Bay - could be slapped with other charges in relation to his failed leap to freedom.

Reports reaching The Gleaner are that the incident took place around 10:45 a.m., shortly after Resident Magistrate Carolin Tie remanded Stewart in custody until Wednesday for sentencing, and ordered him to be fingerprinted by the police.

Jumped from building

It is said that while Stewart was waiting to be processed, he made the daring attempt to jump from the building.

However, police personnel at the courthouse acted quickly and found Stewart lying in the parking lot behind the facility, unable to move.

A similar incident occurred at the courthouse in April 1999 when a man hurled himself through the window of the Montego Bay Courthouse after he was given a 12-month prison sentence for simple larceny.

For his efforts, Ian Hudson of Granville in St James was given an additional six months for destruction of property, for breaking three window panes. Four police officers were hard put to restrain the then 37-year-old man, who had ripped off most of his clothes and was badly cut during the escape attempt.