Community raises $14k for prison escapee Darko ‘Dougie’ Desic
A man who escaped prison 29 years ago finally turned himself in after being left homeless during lockdown – prompting a huge reaction from his community.
In typical Aussie fashion, Sydneysiders are embracing a daring and “decent” prison escapee who spent decades on the run.
Darko “Dougie” Desic was sentenced to jail in the ’90s after being charged with two counts of cultivating a prohibited plant.
But on Friday, July 31, 1992, after serving just over a year behind bars, the then-35-year-old allegedly used a hacksaw blade and bolt cutters to break out of the Grafton correctional facility between the hours of 7pm and 7am the following morning.
Police never found a trace of him – until the man, now aged 64, turned himself in to authorities at Dee Why Police Station in Sydney last Sunday.
He was charged with escape prisoner from lawful custody, refused bail and appeared at Central Local Court on Tuesday, September 14, where he was formally refused bail to reappear at the same court later this month.
But since then, a Northern Beaches community has embraced the man, with a GoFundMe organised to help him get a second chance in life.
So far, it has raised more than $14,000.
“Imagine spending 30 years on the run, in survival mode … what a life that would’ve been,” the fundraiser reads.
“We are advocating to raise funds to obtain a criminal lawyer and get him back on his feet. Everyone deserves a second chance.
“Seems like he was a small offender and the laws were harsher back then for people growing pot.”
The GoFundMe page stressed Desic had “stayed out of trouble” since the escape, but has had the deal with “this problem hanging over his head for half his life”.
“Also he has helped our community and been a decent fellow,” it continues.
“Remember he has been in our community for 30 years and ended up homeless on our beach at Avalon. Never did he hurt anybody. He is in a jail now.”
Organiser Peter Higgins, a retired local businessman, said the goal was to raise enough cash to hire a lawyer for Desic, get him out of jail, get a roof over his head and “give him some meaning and purpose in his life”.
According to The Daily Telegraph, after handing himself in, Desic told police he had survived for 29 years Sydney’s northern beaches by working as a labourer doing cash-in-hand jobs – but said the Covid pandemic had left him broke and homeless, which is why he finally decided to hand himself in after so long.
Police told the publication that Desic, who was born in the former Yugoslavia, feared he would be deported to him home country where he would be severely punished for dodging military service.
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“He said he’s been living in Avalon, just doing labouring and odd jobs for cash for almost three decades,” a police source told the Telegraph.
Local resident Steven Meacham told 7 News he sympathised with Desic’s plight.
“It’s amazing that lockdown will be enough to get somebody to go back into prison after 30 years, it’s so bad outside that you’d be better off in prison,” he said.