In his first court appearance since a Westgate inmate was dramatically recaptured in June, alleged escaped prisoner David Burrows, 21, pleaded not guilty to all of the charges connected with his alleged 25 days on the lam from Police - including a claim that he didn't escape in the first place.

"It wasn't me," said Burrows, when Magistrate Will Francis charged the twice convicted paedophile with escaping from lawful custody on June 1.

Burrows also pleaded not guilty to stealing a motor bike, violently resisting arrest, assaulting a Police officer and failing to bring his bike to a stop when Police were trying to pull him over.

"I'm a law abiding citizen," said Burrows when he also denied driving in a dangerous manner on South Road in Paget.

It is alleged by the Crown that Burrows, who has been twice convicted of unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor, successfully made a dash for freedom on June 9 when he was accompanied by two prison escorts to a medical appointment at The Arches building on Berry Hill Road in Paget.

The Crown further claims that for 25 days Burrows, who is serving a total of eight and a half years at Westgate, remained a fugitive despite a reward being offered for his capture and many members of the public reporting sightings of him.

Yesterday it was alleged that during his time as an escapee Burrows stole a motor bike worth $4,000, but the majority of yesterday's charges were a result of his capture on July 4.

In a scene of high drama, the escaped convict was finally recaptured after a high speed bike chase beginning in Paget where he is alleged to have refused to pull over for Police. After being pursued down South Road, the convict escaped into the depths of the Devonshire marsh.

While 35 officers combed the Orange Valley area in search of him, the inmate allegedly assaulted an arresting officer who had followed him into the heavily wooded area.

But yesterday, when answering the charges of resisting arrest and assaulting an officer, Burrows said merely "I got beat up that day."

But whether he escaped or not, yesterday there was no chance of Burrows breaking away from the two prison officers he was handcuffed to.

Mr. Francis set Burrow's trial date for October 24 in Magistrates court. But Burrows had to decide whether he wished his cycle theft trial to be heard in the higher court.

He declined saying: " No Jury. Supreme Court is what put me in this predicament in the fist place."