Handcuffed man ran from police in flip-flops
HE WAS FOUND HIDING IN A BUSH BY SNIFFER DOG
A HANDCUFFED man ran off while wearing flip-flops as police prepared to do an ‘intimate search,’ a court heard.
Aaron Ward was arrested at a flat as officers suspected he might have drugs on him.
He was taken to a hospital ahead of an ‘intimate search’ being carried out.
But as they walked towards the main building Ward, 25, swore at police, got himself free and ran off.
A police sniffer dog later found him hiding under a bush, according to reports.
Now Ward, from Hyde, Tameside, has been jailed for six months after pleading guilty to one count of escaping from lawful custody.
Ian Metcalfe, defending, said: “At the time of the escape he had not been charged with anything.
“He was taken to hospital and this running off did not happen as he was being led into the hospital.
“He had been there for around three hours and as they were leaving so that an intimate search could be carried out at a nearby police station, quite frankly he saw the opportunity to escape and chanced his arm. This escapade can hardly be described as pre-planned.”
Sarah Allen, prosecuting, said officers went to the flat on April 3.
She said Ward and a number of other people were present and officers arrested him, believing he may have drugs on him. Miss Allen said: “They took him away so that an intimate search could be carried out. In the car park outside the main building at the hospital he swore at officers and ran off.
“He was wearing handcuffs and flipflops but the officers commented that he ran off very fast. He was located around 40 minutes after hiding under a bush by a police dog.”
Miss Allen said the defendant has 18 previous convictions for 37 offences stretching back to 2006, including robbery and arson.
In 2016 Ward was jailed for 18 months after helping a man who mowed down and killed an 11-year-old boy.
He was the passenger in a car driven by Henry Barker which hit Shahzaib Hussain, who was walking home from prayers in Ashton-Under-Lyne.
Barker, then 19, was jailed for eight years after pleading guilty to dangerous driving. Ward pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting his friend.
Ward, of Hattersley Road West, was originally arrested by officers at a flat in Eagle Terrace, Buxton, Derbyshire, and the escape took place at Macclesfield District General Hospital.
Recorder Adrian Reynolds said: “You have pleaded guilty to escape but you were not charged with any other offences.
“I am prepared to accept this was a spontaneous act and not done in order to get rid of anything that might have incriminated you for other charges.”