Fugitive prisoner convicted of rape caught in Berlin
I am pleased and relieved that the escaped inmate was caught today," stated Justice Senator Felor Badenberg (CDU). "Every minute at large is one minute too many."
The man had reportedly used an unobserved moment during a police-escorted visit on Saturday to leave the toilet and disappear through the apartment door. According to the Justice Administration, he had previously been escorted 42 times for so-called social reasons. All of these escorts had ended without incident.
The man is sentenced to five years in prison for bodily harm and rape. He has been housed in the JVA Tegel prison's protective custody unit since 2015. Protective custody can be ordered to protect the population from dangerous criminals. After serving their prison sentence, they do not leave but are transferred to another institution or ward.
As a consequence of the case, Badenberg announced on Wednesday that the so-called social escorts of prisoners would be suspended for the time being. The conditions of escorted escorts would be reviewed and possibly adjusted, Badenberg added on Friday.
Because of the prisoner's escape, the correctional facility in Tegel has been under increased scrutiny. Due to his history of rape convictions, the community in Neukölln, Berlin, expressed concern for their safety. The incident led Felor Badenberg from the CDU to review and potentially adjust the conditions of escorted escorts for prisoners. The escaped prisoner, once caught, will likely face additional charges for his bail jump.
