Prisoner who was threatened escaped jail

8:18am Thursday 13th September 2007

Inmates at an open prison threatened to beat up a prisoner unless he got booze and tobacco for them.

Thomas Taylor was sent to a nearby Tesco store to buy supplies for inmates at Ford, near Arundel.

But instead of going back Taylor kept on walking all the way to Worthing.

He used the money to buy heroin and a train ticket to Brighton, a court heard.

Taylor, 29, handed himself in at the city's main police station the following day.

At Hove Crown Court yesterday (wed) Taylor, of no fixed address, admitted escaping from Ford.

He was jailed for two months but was released immediately because he has been on remand since he gave himself up in July.

Gabrielle Henty, prosecuting, said Taylor was jailed for two years in September 2006 for supplying Class A drugs.

He was sent to Ford where he was due to be released on July 11, after serving half his sentence.

Mrs Henty said: "He was missing when role call was taken that afternoon.

"The following day he went to Brighton police station and handed himself in at 11.20pm.

"He said he owed people at Ford money for tobacco and they had told him to go out of the prison to Tesco to get some.

"He said that he left to avoid being beaten up by other inmates."

The court heard that Taylor has previous convictions for dishonesty and failing to surrender to bail.

Tony Loader, defending, said: "He was coerced by other inmates at Ford to get illicit alcohol and tobacco and smuggle it back into prison.

"He walked out of the prison and instead of going to Tesco decided to keep walking. He ended up in Worthing.

"He says he had no intention of staying at large but wanted to get away from Ford and the threats issued against him."

Judge Jonathan Simpkiss said: "Escape from prison is something which deserves a further custodial sentence.

"However, you simply walked out of Ford. No force was used and you gave yourself up the next day.

"The effect of the two month sentence is that you have already served it on remand and so will be released from custody today."

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