Suspect facing mischief charge after man attempts to scale fence at N.L. prison

STEPHENVILLE, N.L. – Police in Newfoundland say it’s a first: instead of busting a guy trying to break out of prison, they’ve arrested a man for apparently trying to break in.

Bay St. George RCMP Cpl. John Butler says police received reports Friday night that an intoxicated man was trying to climb the fence at the West Coast Correctional Centre in Stephenville.

Butler said the fence in question fence is about 15 feet high and topped with razor wire.

“We’ve had a couple of cases of them breaking out of there, but nobody climbing to get in. I’m sure they would have taken him if he had made it all the way over,” he said.

Butler said a man was arrested a short distance away in a residence for the College of North Atlantic.

“He just made a real poor decision as to how he wanted to show off that night, I guess,” Butler said.

A 32-year-old man originally from the St. John’s area is expected to appear in court on Dec. 5 to face a charge of mischief.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. The headlines have been changed to specify that the claim the man tried to climb a prison fence is merely an allegation.