'Brazilians do not recognise escape as an offence'
42 minutes ago
Jonathan Mitchell Jonathan Mitchell, Reporter
@jonomitchellnz jonathan.mitchell@rnz.co.nz
Child sex offender and murderer Phillip John Smith is accusing the government of unlawfully bringing him back to New Zealand after his audacious overseas escape.
Smith skipped the country in November 2014 and went to Chile and Brazil while on temporary release from Spring Hill prison - where he was serving a life sentence for murder.
While behind bars, Smith successfully renewed his passport under his birth name Traynor.
He was captured six days later, after tourists in a Rio hostel recognised him.
. . .
Smith told the court Brazil prohibits life sentences - the maximum over there is 30 years.
He also said that the country has a more relaxed approach to absconders.
"My understanding is that the Brazilians do not recognise escape as an offence because they attach such a high value to freedom - such that they consider that it would be only natural for a prisoner to wish to escape to obtain his freedom," he said.
More:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/423826/phillip-john-smith-brazilians-do-not-recognise-escape-as-an-offence
Phillip John Smith
