Jamie Lee Roberts arrested after escaping from Townsville Correctional Centre

A man who escaped from the Townsville Correctional Centre last weekend has had his time on the run end in flames, after crashing a stolen car into the front yard of a local home.

SATURDAY: A man who escaped from the Townsville Correctional Centre last weekend has had his time on the run end in flames, after crashing a stolen car into the front yard of a local property.

Jamie Lee Roberts absconded from the low security farm at the Townsville Correctional Centre about 7.30am last Sunday.

Roberts drove off in a government-owned white Toyota HiLux after the correctional officer he was in the car with got out of the vehicle for a couple of minutes to check something.

Roberts jumped into the driver’s seat and drove out of the facility before dumping the HiLux at Perkins St, South Townsville. Shortly after he stole a Toyota LandCruiser.

Earlier this week a spokeswoman for the Queensland Police Service said they believed Roberts may try attempt to flee the state, and head to either New South Wales, South Australia or the Northern Territory.

Though his time as a free man ended Friday night around 10pm after an alleged stolen car he was driving crashed into the front yard of a home on Texas Rd, Jensen.

Roberts was trapped in the car after the crash and needed to be freed from the vehicle by emergency services.

He was treated at the scene by members of the Queensland Ambulance Service for neck and back injuries.

Paramedics later transported the Roberts to Townsville University Hospital in a stable condition, where he remains under police custody.

The vehicle Roberts was driving had allegedly been stolen from a Deeragun address a short time before the crash.

Roberts is serving two years and four months’ jail for assaulting a police officer.

Under Queensland Criminal Law, escaping custody carries a maximum of seven years in prison.

Investigations are continuing.

LAST SUNDAY: A manhunt is underway after a prisoner escaped from Townsville Correctional Centre on Sunday morning.

In a statement Queensland Corrective Services said Jamie Lee Roberts absconded from the low security farm at the Townsville Correctional Centre about 7.30am.

“He is currently serving two years and four months for assaulting police,” the statement read.

“If you have seen this man, you should not approach him and contact police immediately by calling triple-0 (000).”

He was described as being 190cm tall, weighing 95kg, with a medium build, fair complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair.

Roberts is described as having a name in Old English script tattooed on his back and laugh now cry later, rose, and female face tattooed onto his left upper arm.

Police said he may have been driving a white Toyota HiLux ute with the licence plate QGS D30.

Police located the stolen vehicle at Perkins St, South Townsville at 10am.

It is understood that the man was clean shaven and on the run in a silver Toyota Landcruiser.

If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24 hours per day at police.qld.gov.au/reporting or call 131 444.

You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, via crimestoppersqld.gov.au 24 hours per day or by calling 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Jamie Lee Roberts arrested after escaping from Townsville Correctional Centre