Yahoo News Escaped prisoner found hiding near Liverpool bakery after climbing over jail fence
A prisoner has been jailed for a further 28 days after he escaped over a prison fence and fled more than 75 miles across the country to Merseyside.
Rhys Allen, 28, was serving an eight year sentence at HMP Sudbury for aggravated burglary and possession of a firearm, the Liverpool Echo reported.
Sentenced in 2018, he was due for release in 2026. But Allen was said to be "frustrated" with the slow progress of his parole application. "In his words the bar kept getting changed," said Ken Heckle, defending.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 4) that Allen had been granted day release privileges from the open prison at the time, but was "pulled up for covering the window in his room" by a guard earlier in the week, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Derek Jones, prosecuting, described how officers then noticed that the glass had been covered up again at around 5.30am on the day in question. They received no response after knocking on his door and discovered that Allen was not present upon entering the cell.
CCTV footage subsequently revealed that he had absconded from the category D jail roughly an hour earlier by climbing over a fence. Then, 16 days later on the afternoon of November 5, police on patrol on West Derby Road pulled over a Ford Fiesta in which the fugitive was being carried as a passenger.
Allen however fled from the vehicle, leading to a foot chase with officers. But he was arrested after members of the public "pointed out where he was hiding, near to Townsend bakery" in Anfield.
Ken Heckle, defending, told the court: "He is not saying that he was an angel at the start of his sentence, but for the last few years he has done everything to try to appease all officials with regards to his parole application. He has not been refused parole, but in his words the bar kept getting changed. They kept asking for more and more information.
"In the end, the net effect of all of this is that he just walked out. He could not cope with this any longer. He has been in custody since 2017. His mental health just got the better of him. He has not lost all hope that he can reengage, but he is back to square one in Liverpool prison. He regrets what he did."
Allen, who is scheduled for release in April 2026, admitted escaping from lawful custody. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool, he was locked up for a further 28 days.
Sentencing, Judge David Potter said: "You were given the privilege of serving that sentence in open conditions. You have abused that position of trust by simply going over the fence in circumstances where you were frustrated by the progress of your application for parole.
"This is a serious offence which is right at the heart of the prison estate. You were on the run for 16 days before being apprehended. I appreciate that mental health issues have had a part to play in your decision to leave the prison.
"I appreciate that you are back to square one now in closed conditions. It may be that you will have to remain in those conditions as you progress towards your release."
