Serial prison escapee has jail term extended

Kevin Polwart. File photo / Supplied

A serial prison escapee who spent 50 days on the run has had a further nine months added to his sentence.

Kevin Polwart, 49, had earlier pleaded guilty to one charge of escaping from custody.

Polwart had his jail term extended when he appeared for sentencing at North Shore District Court this morning.

Polwart's lawyer, Mike Levett, gave Judge Barbara Morris a letter which Polwart had written to the Herald explaining why he escaped.

The letter said Polwart was afraid he wouldn't get parole when he became eligible next year.

"He saw the escape as a way to demonstrate to authorities that he was not a danger to the community," Mr Levett said.

"Strangely enough he has had the reverse effect."

Mr Levett said that his client's latest escape would delay his parole eligibility by six months.

Polwart was arrested in a park near Karangahape Rd in central Auckland at 9.40am on February 4 after police received information from the public.



Polwart had left police a note on a concrete slab saying "catch me if you can" before cutting his way through a steel perimeter fence to break out of Auckland Prison on December 16. It was believed Polwart was going to great lengths to avoid detection and that he had fled up north to family or was staying with friends in Wellington.

In 1999, he robbed a security van, stealing $600,000 and was jailed for 10 years. However, in 2001 he escaped for 41 days during which time he held up another security van, taunted police and updated the media on his movements. He was sentenced to a further six years when recaptured and was 14 months from parole when he escaped at the end of last year.