Prison Break: The Extraordinary Life and Crimes of New Zealand’s Most Infamous Escapee

Arthur Taylor is New Zealand’s best known, most influential and colourful career criminal. A household name, he was paroled from prison in 2019 after more than 38 years behind bars.

His life story is nothing short of remarkable. He has more than 150 convictions ranging from bank robberies to fraud, theft, escaping and having weapons and explosives.

He has served in New Zealand’s most notorious high security prison, Auckland Prison at Paremoremo, including nine months in solitary confinement.

During his time in prison, Arthur masterminded two particularly audacious prison escapes including a weeks-long caper where he and three others holed up at a millionaire’s mansion.

But Arthur isn’t what most people might expect.

Now in his 60s and living in Dunedin, Arthur studied law behind bars and took on - and won - cases against Corrections and the Crown, cementing himself as on of New Zealand’s foremost authorities on prisoners’ rights.

Prison Break reveals Arthur’s mistakes, his triumphs and how he outsmarted prison guards - screws’ - Corrections and other officials time and time again.