Jason Gregory Burdon pleads guilty to escaping from SA remand centre, will learn outcome of carjacking trial on Friday
Adelaide’s prison Houdini, who exploited a known security flaw using a rope made of clothing, has pleaded guilty to escaping from custody.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A prison inmate caught on camera exploiting a known security flaw to climb out a window, using a rope made of clothing, has pleaded guilty to escaping from custody.
The Adelaide Magistrates Court has also heard self-styled “prison Houdini” Jason Gregory Burdon will learn the outcome of his separate carjacking trial by the end of the week.
On Monday, Burdon, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of escaping from lawful detention.
In December, he was left unsupervised for 35 minutes in a kitchen toilet by two on-duty Serco guards, allowing him to climb into the Adelaide Remand Centre’s ceiling space.
He then crawled undetected to a set of air vents in the wall of the building, bent window louvres, rappelled down to the street and went on the run for 34 hours.
The facility’s security flaws had been pointed out during a review in the 1990s – which recommended mesh be fixed over the vents – but authorities failed to take action.
The Serco staff are facing internal disciplinary hearings while the company has been fined $100,000.
Burdon was in custody at the time over allegations he had broken another man’s face during an early-morning carjacking in May 2019.
During his trial, last week, for that offending, prosecutors alleged he was arrested following a rooftop stand-off with police.
Burdon has denied the allegations, saying his victim was an acquaintance who had “a tantrum” and lashed out at him, forcing him to defend himself.
On Monday, counsel for Burdon said the verdict in their client’s trial would be handed down on Friday afternoon.
They asked his escape charge be remanded to the District Court for sentencing.
Burdon was remanded in custody to face court again on Friday for the verdict, and in March for the start of the escape charge sentencing process.
More Coverage
Witness details horror scenes after stabbing
Shocked neighbours have recalled the terrifying moment a bloodied stranger – stabbed multiple times – begged for help in the early hours of the morning.
Adult time for fatal crime? Drunk crash teen’s too good, court hears
A speeding, drunk teenager who killed a top Adelaide academic says he can’t be sentenced as an adult – and his reasons may turn state law on its head.