Jason Burdon arrested on driveway at Eden Hills, 34 hours after daring escape from Adelaide Remand Centre
Fugitive Jason Burdon will be transferred to the high security G Division at Yatala after his 34 hours of freedom ended in a bloody arrest at Eden Hills. Pic: 9News Adelaide
Police & Courts
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Prison escapee Jason Burdon’s 34 hours of freedom have ended in dramatic fashion and suffering multiple injuries after he was captured on a blood-smeared driveway at Eden Hills, a court has heard.
Burdon appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court via telephone link from the erergency department of Flinders Medical Centre on Thursday afternoon, where his lawyer, Greg Tonkin, told the court his client had sustained multiple injuries during his arrest.
“I saw him there about an hour and a half ago. He has a number of injuries that are somewhat significant,” he said.
“I counted 15 staples to at least five injuries to his scalp. Those staples were holding together various lacerations. He complains of a broken rib. There is a drainage tube attached which penetrates his chest, he says to drain his lungs.
“He’s got a couple of distinctive bruises on his right upper arm which he says were imposed by a police weapon butt during his apprehension last night.”
Mr Tonkin said despite the numerous injuries sustained during his arrest Burdon was charged with resisiting police – a charge which he would be “vigorously denied”.
But, he said the charge of escaping custody was admitted and pleaded guilty on Burdon’s behalf. He is also facing other offences including driving and theft charges.
Burdon, 33, allegely staged a Houdini-style escape at the Adelaide Remand Centre on Tuesday morning, was spotted on Marion Road at Sturt about 8pm on Wednesday.
Two hours earlier, he allegedly stole petrol from a North Brighton service station.
PolAir tracked Burdon, who police say was driving a black Toyota RAV4 with false number plates, to an address on the corner of Eden Road and Grove Street at Eden Hills, where he had backed into the driveway.
Police and STAR Group officers swarmed the area and captured Burdon.
Shattered glass and pools of blood could still be seen on the driveway of the property on Thursday morning, while blood was also smeared across part of a garage door.
It is alleged Burdon used the RAV4 to ram a police car as he tried to escape.
Nearby resident Indirani Schocroft said she and her partner heard loud banging at the time of the arrest.
“And then we just saw seven police cars … I got pretty worried, because we just casually walked out and there were so many (officers) there.”
Ms Schocroft and other neighbours were concerned that Burdon was visiting someone in the area.
SA Police said there was no indication that Burdon knew anyone in the area. Rather, it is believed he ended up there while trying to evade authorities.
“The fella made a mistake by turning into this area, because it’s all a dead-end area, there’s no-through roads,” another resident, who chose not to be named, said.
Bloodied and bandaged... a man who spent more than 30 hours on the run in Adelaide is back in police custody. @G_Westgarth #9News pic.twitter.com/VXoWj6Z76c
— 9News Adelaide (@9NewsAdel) December 2, 2020
The resident was watching TV when he heard a “big commotion” outside.
“I went out to have a look to see what was going on and then there were about 14 police cars here, it was incredible,” he said.
“They must have been in the process of arresting the guy, because I heard one of the policemen saying on the radio, ‘we’ve got him, he’s in custody’.”
Another police officer approached the resident and told him to “go back inside, go back inside”.
Overnight footage showed Burdon with a bandaged head being loaded into an ambulance following the arrest. A side window of the black RAV4 was also smashed.
Burdon escaped the Adelaide Remand Centre by bending window louvres in the kitchen area about 9.55am on Tuesday.
He scaled down a wall using a rope made from pants and a T-shirt.
Police were alerted to his escape about 10.20am, but he had fled the area on a stolen e-bike.
Police and corrections Minister Vincent Tarzia said the prisoner will then be transferred to G Division at Yatala Labour Prison.
“SAPOL left no stone unturned and followed multiple leads tracking down this slippery individual and returned him to custody,” he said.
“It is an outstanding effort, I’m very grateful for SAPOL’s efforts.”
Mr Tarzia said Adelaide Remand Centre operators Serco could have a $100,000 fine over the escape – but a full review will take place first.
“Any escape in any corrections facility is completely unacceptable … and there are a number of inquiries that are happening, one by the (Corrections) Department itself and also Serco.”
Burdon has been remanded in custody to return to court in January.
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