Brant Graham, a 44-year-old Mongols bikie, has been recaptured in the Northern Territory, bringing a five-day manhunt to an end. He was taken back into custody after escaping from a Darwin courthouse during a bail hearing earlier in the week. According to police, he is now back behind bars and is facing further charges on top of the case that brought him before the court in the first place.
The saga began last Friday, when Graham was at a Darwin courthouse applying for bail over serious drugs and weapons charges. Police say he jumped out of the courtroom dock and sprinted away, escaping from the G4S security guards who were responsible for him during the hearing. The dramatic escape, carried out in the middle of proceedings, immediately triggered an extensive search.
For five days, Graham remained on the run, prompting a manhunt across the Top End of the Northern Territory. The escape of a man facing serious charges turned into a high-profile case for local police, who worked to track down where he was hiding. The search finally came to a head when officers received the break they had been waiting for.
Officers located and surprised Graham in Palmerston, near Darwin, bringing the pursuit to its conclusion yesterday afternoon. Police body-worn camera footage captured the moment the officers moved in on the 44-year-old. The arrest ended a chase that had stretched on since the courthouse escape the previous Friday.
According to police, Graham allegedly tried his old tricks again, attempting to give the officers the slip even as they closed in on him. This time, however, his attempt to flee did not succeed. The renewed effort to escape, police said, only added to the difficulties he now faces in the case against him.
A police dog named Chico was credited with helping to hunt Graham down during the operation. The animal proved decisive in finally bringing the five-day pursuit to an end, allowing officers to corner the bikie. With Graham detained, police were able to take him back into custody without him slipping away once more.
Graham is now back behind bars and is facing further charges in addition to the serious drugs and weapons allegations that were already before the courts. His escape from the courthouse dock and the days he spent on the run have added new legal trouble to his situation. With the recapture, the manhunt that had gripped the Northern Territory has come to a close.