Shropshire jailbreak: Prisoner used bedsheets tied together in Stoke Heath prison escape attempt
An inmate at a Shropshire prison attempted to escape over the wall using a make-shift rope made from bedsheets, a court heard
Jorden Hart was said to have made three efforts to scale the wall at HMP Stoke near Market Drayton, but was foiled by the razor wire.
The 22-year-old’s bid for freedom was made in February just days after he had been given a three-and-a-half year sentence for burglary and theft.
At Shrewsbury Crown Court Hart, from Stone in Staffordshire, was jailed for a further 20 months after admitting trying to escape from lawful custody.
Judge Jonathan Gosling said any escape bid caused huge disruption to a prison’s regime and effected both the staff and other inmates who are subject to a lock-down while a search is carried out. He said that Hart had a terrible record for such a young man and had clearly planned his intent to try and escape and had gone to a lot effort to create the make-shift rope.
The court heard on Monday that Hart had convictions for 69 offences dating back more than 10 years involving assault, public order, burglary, theft, arson, shoplifting, car theft, theft from cars, driving with excess alcohol and driving while disqualified.
Mr Andrew Wilkins, prosecuting, said that Hart was jailed at Stafford Crown Court on February 3 and was taken to HMP Dovegate, near Uttoxeter, but later moved to HMP Stoke Heath.
He said that on February 16 the defendant had used a gym session as cover for his escape attempt when he was allowed out of his cell.
Hart was carrying a mesh bag for his gym kit and was able to slip away to another area once outside the prison block. Mr Wilkins said that officers found Hart who said he had been smoking, but round the corner found the make-shift rope.
A a solid bunch of clothing had been made to create a ‘grappling hook’ to catch on the razor wire and bedsheets had been tied together to create the rope which was secured to a pipe,” he said.
Hart was found to be wearing three layers of clothing and had a balaclava hidden inside his boxer shorts.
“It appears three attempts had been made to climb the rope but didn’t have gloves and the razor wire proved to be too sharp,” said Mr Wilkins.
Hart, who represented himself, said his actions were to get re-catergorized within the prison system and was now a Category B prisoner at HMP Dovegate
