MONTEGO BAY, St James — A 43-year-old man who pulled off a jailbreak from Barnett Street police lock-up in St James last December was back in court on Wednesday and is to undergo a psychiatric evaluation as part of his case.

Maurice Belnavis, of Greens, Paradise Norwood, appeared before presiding Parish Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton and pleaded guilty with explanation — though his explanation offered little clarity.

Belnavis was apprehended in Ocho Rios, St Ann, about 10:00 am on May 29 after police spotted him in a section of the community. Following the execution of a warrant, he was promptly returned to St James on May 31 and formally charged with escaping custody.

He was one of five men who engineered a breakout from Barnett Street lock-up on the morning of Saturday, December 14, 2024. Since that escape, three of the fugitives were fatally shot, allegedly during armed clashes with police across St James and Trelawny, while the fourth was recaptured the very next day in Spot Valley, St James.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Judge Fairclough-Hylton asked Belnavis if he was on medication. He responded that he had not seen a doctor recently and was not taking medication.

He then added, with a touch of dry humour, “I am not travelling with a full tray of eggs at the moment,” while acknowledging his need for treatment.

With that, the judge remanded him in custody until July 30, ordering a psychiatric evaluation to probe deeper into his mental state.