Prisoner escaped to show he was 'no threat'

BACK BEHIND BARS: Kevin Polwart was jailed for 10 years in 2000 for robbing a security van and stealing $600,000.

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A career criminal say he broke out of prison because he feared he would not get parole and wanted to show authorities he was not a danger to the community.

Kevin Polwart, 49, who was eight years into a 16-year sentence for aggravated robbery, was recaptured last Thursday after ecaping from Auckland Prison at Paremoremo on December 16.

In North Shore District Court yesterday, Polwart pleaded guilty to escaping and had another nine months added to his sentence.

Polwart was jailed for 10 years in 2000 for robbing a security van and stealing $600,000. He escaped in 2001 for 41 days during which time he held up another security van.

He was sentenced to a further six years when recaptured.

In court yesterday his lawyer Michael Levett handed a letter from Polwart addressed to the New Zealand Herald, to Judge Barbara Morris.

In the letter, Polwart said he was afraid he would not get parole when he became eligible next year because of a change in the Parole Act 2002 which allows the Department of Corrections to apply to the Parole Board to keep a prisoner beyond their final release date.

Mr Levett told the court Polwart had became very distressed and depressed when he learnt he may not get parole and the escape was a way to demonstrate he was not a danger to the community.

- NZPA