Bernard Lagan, Sydney

The 57-year-old man was arrested after abandoning his jet ski on mudflats on an island several miles south of Papua New Guinea’s mainlandAustralian Federal Police/PA Wire

A British fugitive armed with a crossbow has been arrested in Australia as he made a daring bid to escape justice on a jet ski, police alleged today.

The man, 57, had travelled more than 85 miles across the Torres Strait from the far north of Queensland and was only a few miles from mainland Papua New Guinea when he was captured after coming ashore on mudflats, police said. He is wanted in Western Australia over alleged drug offences.

He was seen launching the jet ski from Punsand Bay on the northernmost tip of Queensland on Monday. State and federal police and the Australian Border Force set out to catch him after police officers on the peninsula reported a sighting of the wanted man armed…