Suspect Escapes Police Custody in Handcuffs Outside Croatian Court

A suspect managed to escape from police custody in Velika Gorica, Croatia, while still in handcuffs, just moments after a judge ordered his pre-trial detention. The incident occurred outside the County Court on Tuesday afternoon.

The man, who is considered a flight risk due to the danger of re-offending against his former common-law wife, was ordered to be held for one month. According to the court spokesperson, he fled in the opposite direction of the police vehicle as officers were opening the door to transport him.

Authorities have stated that the suspect is "well-foundedly suspected" of offenses including failure to comply with a court decision and violation of a child's rights. He had recently completed a prison sentence on August 14 and, on August 15, allegedly posted inappropriate content about his family life and past legal proceedings on Facebook. This led the State Attorney's Office to propose pre-trial detention, citing the risk of further offenses against his former partner.

Police are currently searching for the escaped suspect. The court spokesperson confirmed that the police have informed them that the search is ongoing.