'Not in public interest' to know how murderer escaped courtroom to manhandle woman (From Surrey Comet)

'Not in public interest' to know how murderer escaped courtroom to manhandle woman

7:00am Tuesday 26th February 2013 in News By Nazia Dewji, Reporter

The Ministry of Justice has refused to reveal how a convicted murderer serving a life sentence escaped a courtroom with a weapon before he was stopped by security guards outside Kingston College.

Richard Kwakye from Twickenham managed to flee from Kingston County Court on June 18, with a piece of wood with a screw fixed to the end, before guards caught up with him in St James Road.

He had attended court for a family related matter, but was able to escape and even pushed a Kingston University student off her bike in the attempted getaway.

Kwakye was sentenced to three years in jail time last month in addition to the 35 years he is already serving for the murder of 19-month-old toddler Siariah Letang who died from smoke inhalation.

In a letter to the Surrey Comet, a spokeswoman from Her Majesty Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) said: “HMCTS holds the information you have asked for, but we will not be providing it to you.

“We have concluded the public interest favours withholding the information.

“HMCTS takes the issue of security within courts extremely seriously and has a robust system to protect all court users.”

The Surrey Comet will be appealing the decision.