September 25, 2017 2.10 pm This story is over 78 months old

Man who escaped from police officers while in handcuffs is put behind bars

He escaped earlier this year.
Aurimas Butkys escaped police custody while still wearing handcuffs. Photo: Lincolnshire Police

An arrested man who vaulted an eight feet high gate to escape from the car park at Boston Police Station has been jailed for 16 months.

Aurimas Butkys was being led in handcuffs from a police car into the station when he made a run for it.

Even though he was still handcuffed he managed to get over the gate and evaded recapture for three days before being picked up at the port of Folkestone.

Phil Howes, prosecuting, told Lincoln Crown Court that officials at the port carried out a documents check on Butkys. He produced false ID papers and as a result was arrested.

Butkys was originally held in July on a European Arrest Warrant relating to a domestic assault in Lithuania.

Mr Howes said: “There was an initial struggle and he was placed in a police car and taken to Boston Police Station. The police station car park was secure. He was placed in the vehicle and had to wait a number of minutes before it was his turn to be processed.

“He was then taken towards the police station. He escaped within that police yard and managed to vault an eight foot gate despite the fact that he was in handcuffs. He was chased by two officers but successfully escaped. He came to the attention of the authorities three days later.”

Butkys, 25, of Chaucer’s Way, Spalding, admitted escaping from custody on July 13 this year.

He also admitted possession of an ID document with improper intention on July 16.

Judge Simon Hirst, passing sentence, told him: “Plainly this is so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence can be passed.”

Mandisa Knights, in mitigation, said: “He made a decision to escape and his intention was to return to Lithuania on his own volition.

“It was his misguided belief that the extradition proceedings would be lengthy and be costly for him. When he was detained he was on a bus heading for Lithuania.

“He recognises that he is the architect of his own fate.”

When Butkys has completed his sentence in the UK he will be returned to Lithuania to serve a five month jail sentence for assault.