'It just doesn't make sense': Questions raised after inmate walks away from federal prison

He wasn't gone for very long, but a convicted murderer walked away from the minimum security unit at the Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick on Saturday afternoon.

Robert Hilroy Legge is currently serving a life sentence for second-degree murder of his former partner, Ann Maria Lucas, after he bludgeoned her to death with a metal pipe at her apartment in Stephenville, N.L. in 2003.

Correctional Service of Canada says Legge, now in his 80s, was apprehended immediately by prison staff around 3 p.m.

Bill Steele, co-owner of the former Dorchester Jail - now a bed and breakfast - said Legge made it close to the community square of Dorchester, where dozens of people were attending the annual Sandpiper Festival.

That's nearly a kilometre away.

"Holy smokes. When I found out he was a convicted murderer still serving his sentence I had a huge problem with it, yeah," said Steele.

His wife and business partner Natasha Marsh saw Legge walking up the street from the tourist attraction's parking lot.

She said she noticed Legge was wearing several layers of clothing, which she found that odd.

Before he could reach the festival, Marsh said a van pulled over and guards placed the inmate in handcuffs.

"It's incredible. You can't walk away from anywhere else so how are you walking away from a penitentiary? It just doesn't make sense. I understand that they have their rights and freedoms and stuff but I think they have a little too much rights and freedoms," said Marsh.

Although he wasn't home at the time, the elderly inmate walked right by Matt Paul's house.

"It's kind of a failure on the system is it not? If our system is there to rehabilitate or punish somebody for an offence you would generally think that should be concurrent until the sentence is over," said Paul.

Five years ago a convicted killer also walked away from Dorchester sparking a 24-hour man hunt, but the inmate was soon apprehended.

St. Thomas University criminologist Michael Boudreau said escapes are rare occurrences but residents have every right to be concerned no matter what the threat level is.

"If anything positive can come from this it will, I suppose, allow Corrections Canada to re-assess what happened in this particular incidence. Maybe they need to re-assess whether or not this individual should be in the minimum security wing of Dorchester,” said Boudreau. "It does highlight that there is a lapse, or was, a lapse in security that needs to be re-visited. It could have been a staffing issue on that one particular day."

Legge had previously assaulted Lucas, and was under a no-contact order to stay away from her.

His criminal history dates back to the 1960s.

According to the Parole Board of Canada, Legge had his parole fully revoked in July.

The Correctional Service of Canada is investigating the circumstances behind Saturday's incident and said ensuring the safety and the security of their institutions, staff, and the public is their highest priority.

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