Arthur Taylor

Prison Break Arthur Taylor

The extraordinary true story behind New Zealand's most infamous career criminal and prolific 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 one 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.

'The good, the very bad, and the unbelievable - Arthur Taylor's life has had it all.'
Mike White, author of Who Killed Scott Guy?

'A law professor told me he thought Arthur Taylor is one of New Zealand's great legal minds. It just so happens he's a great storyteller, too.'
Jarrod Gilbert, author of Patched: the History of Gangs in New Zealand