£600 fine for man who escaped custody

Escaping from police after being arrested has cost a man £100 per minute of freedom before he was recaptured.

Carl Francis Kelch of Clifton Terrace in Douglas appeared before Deputy High Bailiff James Brooks at Douglas Courthouse.

The 32-year-old admitted escaping lawful custody on October 25.

The court heard he’d run off after officers arrested him following an incident at his home just after 2am.

Police found him hiding in bushes in the garden of nearby Ballanard Court.

Mr Brooks said if Kelch hadn’t run off, he was unlikely to have appeared in court, but had made his own situation worse.

He fined Kelch £600 and ordered him to pay £50 costs.