Freemantle Freddy

In the novel The Sittaford Mystery, Freemantle Freddy is the name of an inmate at Dartmoor Prison in Princetown. He escaped from the prison but was recaptured soon after.

Inspector Narracott described Freddy as a dangerous criminal. He had been convicted for robbery with  violence, assault. However Freddy seemed to lead an extraordinary double life. Half the time he behaved like an educated, respectable wealthy man but at other times a dangerous criminal mania seemed to come over him.

At the end of the novel, Violet Willett revealed to Emily Trefusis that actually Freemantle Freddy was her father. Violet, her mother and Violet's fiance Brian Pearson had come together to hatch a plan for her father's escape. Brian, who did most of the planning, suggested that Mrs Willett and Violet offer a high rent to take a lease on Sittaford House to use as a safehouse. At a suitable time, Brian would engineer Freddy's escape. Freddy would make his way to Pixie's Cave and hide there until the hue and cry had died down. He would then go to Sittaford House, where he and Brian would stay, posing as manservants. Unfortunately, Freddy's attempt was foiled. A heavy fog descended on the moor shortly after his escape. Not being able to see, he walked in a large circle, and after covering twenty miles, ended up at a spot only half a mile from the prison, leading to his recapture.

Violet believed that her father's criminal tendencies were not really his fault. He had been kicked on the head by a horse some fifteen years before and since then had always behaved strangely. As a result of the exposure during the escape attempt, her father had come down with pneumonia. Violet thought he might die for the illness but if that were to happen, perhaps it was the best for him.

Portrayals
An escaped convict also features in ITV's 2006 adaptation of the novel. However, in this case, he has a different backstory and name. See Archie Stone for details.