Taylor in court on escape charge

A man appeared in Wellington District Court today charged with escaping from custody, after a gunman confronted three Department of Corrections officers escorting a remand prisoner in the city yesterday.

Arthur William Taylor, 48, of Rimutaka Prison, faced a charge of escaping from custody, as well as three joint charges of presenting a pistol at prison officers, and three joint charges of unlawfully detaining the officers.

Earlier police said a gunman confronted three Department of Corrections officers escorting Taylor in a central Wellington office block carpark about 2pm yesterday.

The gunman and Taylor had fled into the busy Manners Mall and on to rooftops. Taylor had fallen through a roof and been caught by police.

Today Judge John Walker remanded Taylor in custody to reappear in Wellington District Court on March 31.

- NZPA