Penal system - Escaped inmate from Berlin prison caught
A Berlin inmate, who escaped from the Tegel prison last Saturday, has been apprehended. The 57-year-old man was found on Friday, according to the Senate Department for Justice. He was sentenced to five years in prison for bodily harm and rape. The man had already served part of his sentence, but he was still considered dangerous and was in protective custody at the Tegel Penitentiary. During a visit to his mother in Berlin-Neukölln, which was supervised by the justice authorities, he escaped. The justice authorities had previously reported that 42 such exits had taken place without incident.
Berlin Justice Senator Felicitas Badenberg (CDU) stated: "I am relieved and happy that the escaped inmate was caught today. Every minute on the run is one minute too many." She will review the conditions of supervised releases and improve them if necessary.
A total of four inmates used the permitted short-term leave from the prison this year to avoid returning. The latest incident occurred on Thursday, and the man has not yet been found. Two other inmates were located.
The apprehended inmate was originally from Germany and served part of his sentence in Berlin's Tegel Penitentiary. His crimes included bodily harm and rape, for which he was subjected to the German penal system and imprisonment. The justice authorities in Berlin are now scrutinizing the prison's policies for supervised releases, aiming to enhance safety and prevent future escapes.
