Prisoners who fled from jail bragged about it in Kettering pub

An armed robber and a burglar who fled from a prison were caught after they were overheard bragging about their actions in a Kettering pub.

Vincent Israel and Peter Johnson, both formerly of Corby, made off from HMP Sudbury before going to the Stitching Pony for a drink on September 9.

Every day at the category D open prison, which has fewer restrictions than most but still has perimeter fencing, there is a roll call to check each prisoner that should be there is there.

On September 9 a roll call revealed Israel, 31, and Johnson, 29, were missing and an immediate search of the local area was carried out.

But the pair had already travelled more than 50 miles from Derbyshire to the Market Street pub, where a member of the public overheard them boasting about their escape and called police.

Yesterday (Wednesday) at Northampton Crown Court prosecutor Neil Bannister said police received a report that Johnson was in the Horsemarket area with another man just before 10pm.

Both men ran but Johnson, who jailed for a total of 876 days for burglary last year, was detained and taken into custody, where he refused to be interviewed.

The next day police went to an address in Corby associated with Israel and found him hiding between two cars.

After his arrest Israel, who was serving a 46-month sentence for a terrifying armed robbery at a Corby McColl's, was taken to KGH with significant bruising and injuries to his feet.

Joint prosecutor Stephen Ferson said: "He stated to medical staff that he had jumped over a 5ft fence."

Both men, who appeared via videolink from HMP Peterborough, admitted charges of escaping from lawful custody.

Liam Muir, who represented both men in court, said the pair had started using drugs again in HMP Sudbury and that other prisoners had asked them to collect items.

He said: "They found themselves desperate to not be in that prison anymore.

"They knew that when they were arrested they would be taken to another prison."

Sentencing, Her Honour Judge Rebecca Crane said: "Those in category D prisons are trusted prisoners. You breached that trust."

The pair were both jailed for four months which will be served consecutively to their current sentences.

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