By Nakiwala Barbra
Five prisoners, including a British national, have escaped from a high-security prison in Portugal. The escape occurred at Vale de Judeus jail, located about 43 miles north of Lisbon.
The prisoners fled by scaling the prison wall with a ladder and are believed to have received outside assistance. Among the escapees is Mark Cameron Roscaleer, a British inmate serving a nine-year sentence for kidnap and robbery.
Vale de Judeus is a high-security facility with a capacity for 560 inmates. The escape took place on a Saturday morning at 10:00 local time. In addition to Roscaleer, the escapees include two Portuguese men, an Argentinian, and a Georgian.
The two Portuguese prisoners are serving 25-year sentences for crimes related to drug trafficking, criminal association, theft, robbery, and kidnapping. The remaining three prisoners have convictions for offenses such as theft, kidnapping, and robbery.
Authorities have warned that the inmates are “extremely dangerous,” and the public is advised not to approach them. The escape is said to have occurred due to a lack of prison guards, resulting in unmanned surveillance towers. The prison service has confirmed that the escapees received external assistance in the form of a launched ladder, allowing them to scale the wall and flee.
Portuguese police have requested international cooperation to recapture the escaped prisoners. The UK Foreign Office has stated that they are aware of the situation and are in contact with the local authorities regarding the escape of the British prisoner in Portugal.
