Ryan Foster Apologies for Escaping Police Custody

Ryan Foster

As many as three prisoners escaped while being escorted to the Belize Central Prison over the last four to five months. The most recent escapee, twenty-eight-year-old Ryan Foster, did so on Tuesday, April eighteenth. Thirteen days later, on May first, Foster was arraigned on a single charge of escape from lawful custody. He is accused of escaping from the lawful custody of PC Darwin Bruhier at Mile 8 on the George Price Highway. Foster quickly pleaded guilty to the offense and apologized for his actions, telling Senior Magistrate Baja Shoman “I am sorry. I messed up”. Foster, along with other prisoners, was transported to court, and it was later that officers noticed that he had escaped. Foster managed to unlock his handcuffs while sitting in the pan of the pickup. He was initially facing a prison term of one year for his guilty plea. However, Senior Magistrate Shoman reduced it to nine months for his early guilty plea. After considering his early guilty plea and lack of previous conviction for escape, he received a deduction of three months, resulting in a six-month prison sentence. It is worth noting that on the day of Foster’s escape, Senior Magistrate Baja Shoman dismissed a theft charge against him when the virtual complainant requested no further court action.