Boston police station escapee 'didn't fancy' weekend in custody

Jason Fovargue climbed onto the roof of the police van and escaped over a security gate

A man who escaped from a police station by jumping over a security gate did so because he "didn't fancy" spending the weekend in custody, a court heard.

Jason Fovargue was arrested in Boston, Lincolnshire, on 5 May and was taken by van to the town's police station.

Lincoln Crown Court heard he was not handcuffed and escaped over a gate after climbing onto the van's roof after it pulled up.

Fovargue, 34, admitted a charge of escaping from police custody.

He also admitted damaging a police vehicle as a result of the incident.

Fovargue, of Hereward Road, Spalding, was given a four-month sentence, suspended for 12 months, 140 hours of unpaid work and a three-month night time curfew.

Hal Ewing, prosecuting, said: "The defendant took the opportunity to run off. He jumped onto the police van and from there jumped over the gate and ran off into Boston town centre.

"He was in Boston for just over three-quarters of an hour before the police recaptured him," he said.

The court heard the defendant acknowledged that he panicked and had done something "foolishly stupid".

"He said he didn't fancy spending the rest of the weekend in the police station," Mr Ewing said.

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Neil Sands, in mitigation, said Fovargue was not charged with any offence arising out of the matter for which he was initially arrested.

"He was at liberty for some 45 minutes and was recaptured without violence and without any problems whatsoever," he told the court.