‘Very dangerous’ British prisoner among five to escape from high-security prison in Portugal

A “very dangerous” British prisoner is among five inmates who have escaped from a high-security prison in Portugal.

Mark Cameron Roscaleer, 39, had been serving a nine-year sentence for kidnap and robbery at the Vale de Judeus jail, about 43 miles (70km) north of Lisbon.

The five men, aged between 33 and 61, fled on Sunday morning and received “external help” from accomplices who provided a ladder which “allowed the inmates to scale the wall”, according to the Portuguese prison service (DGRSP).

Frederico Morais, president of the National Union of Prison Guards (SNCGP), described Roscaleer as “very dangerous” and advised people that if they see him or the other inmates, they should not to approach them.

He also provided details about the escape: “They managed to jump a net because there are no guards to watch the perimeter… put the ladder against the wall and, from there, with a handmade rope, they climbed over the wall”.

The four other fugitives are:

• Fernando Ferreira, 61, Portuguese, serving 25 years for drug trafficking, theft, robbery, and kidnapping

• Fabio Loureiro, 33, Portuguese, jailed for 25 years for extortion, theft, and money laundering

• Rodolf Lohrmann, 59, Argentinian, sentenced to 18 years and 10 months for theft, robbery, and money laundering

• Shergili Farjiani, 42, originally from Georgia, given a seven-year term for violent crimes theft and forgery

Fugitives are “very dangerous”

According to the Portuguese newspaper, Jornal de Notícias, the group had the help of three accomplices outside the jail and fled the scene in two cars, a Mercedes and a Volvo.

Luis Neves, national director of the Judicial Police, told the paper that, with the exception of Shergili Farjiani, all the prisoners were “very dangerous” and their escape was “very well prepared”.

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Hermínio Barradas, president of the Association of Chiefs of the Prison Guards Corps (ASCCGP), also described the group as “well equipped” and “determined” but blamed weaknesses in security.

He said: “There have been no watchtowers for nine years. The cameras filmed everything, but there was no ability to react because of the lack of prison guards.”

According to both the ASCCGP and SNCGP prison unions, there were 20 guards on duty – half of what would normally be expected – to oversee more than 500 inmates.

The Portuguese prison service said in a statement that an internal investigation had been launched.