A judge concerned about the prospect of prison van breakouts has called for the Police to escort the vehicles at all times.

Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves spoke out this week after traffic delays caused defendants to be late for court.

The judge told lawyers and prison officers in court that he was worried traffic queues could make Department of Corrections vehicles vulnerable to attack.

"I can't understand how a prison van can be delayed on the highway. It must be dangerous to be labouring along the highway in a van full of prisoners. I would have thought there should be an arrangement between the Police and prison authorities where an escort can be made," he said.

Raising the prospect of "cohorts coming out of the swamp" and aiding a movie-style escape effort, Mr. Justice Greaves said it could take "a big crisis" to resolve the matter.

A prison officer in court said he would report the concerns to Commissioner of Corrections Edward Lamb.

The judge's concerns were later echoed by Craig Clarke, chairman of the Prison Officers Association.

"Police escorts will normally be given to prison vehicles when we have high profile cases. The Police will confer with the chief officer on security matters", he said, explaining this typically happens in murder cases or after high-profile verdicts.

"I think it would be a good idea (to have a Police escort all the time.) A lot of times, especially coming from Westgate, they get caught up in traffic and are late for court... I don't think the Prison Service would complain if they did have Police escorts. If you look at the States, they normally have Police escorts. It does have its benefits."

On the issue of safety, he said: "We have always asked that our vehicles should be custom built to transport inmates. At the moment they are minibuses and they are a security risk if stuck in traffic. They're not custom built, they are ordinary minibuses, just basic vehicles, the average vehicle that the Handicapped Association or any service in Bermuda would have."

He also expressed concern for the safety of officers who travel alongside those in custody instead of separated by a security grille, as in some countries, or with prisoners in individual cells as in England.

Mr. Clarke said that during talks with Minister of Public Safety David Burch in recent weeks, the Minister indicated that a feasibility study is being done on buying purpose-built vehicles.

Commissioner of Prisons Edward Lamb said: "We have never utilised the Police for regular escorts. If ever we have a high profile case, i.e. the Cooper twins murder or have received intelligence, we will request assistance from the Police in the form of a Police escort of our prison vehicle(s)."

He said there had been at least one attempt to escape from a prison van in the past two years, but officers were successful in preventing this.

"Our policies are that inmates are not allowed to sit near the door in our vans and an officer(s) is placed behind and sometimes alongside an inmate. Inmates must be handcuffed and seatbelted when being transported in Corrections vehicles. I have also begun enquiries into acquiring a cellular vehicle wherein inmates could be isolated from each in cases of security concerns," he added.

A Police spokesman said: "The Bermuda Police Service has worked in partnership with the Department of Corrections for many years and does, when necessary, provide security escorts for Department of Corrections vehicles involved in transporting individuals to and from the Island's courts.

"The escorts are not deployed for all Department of Corrections vehicles engaged in the task, as the decision to provide security escorts are determined by the degree of risk or threat applicable in each case."

Lt. Col. Burch did not respond to a request for comment.