Woman found prison absconder asleep in utility room - court told

A North Sea Camp inmate who went on the run amid bullying claims was found asleep in a nearby house, Lincoln Crown Court has been told.
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North Sea Camp

Peter Gilleard, who was serving an indeterminate sentence for attempt robbery, walked out of the open prison following the tea-time roll call on December 2.

Robert Sandford, prosecuting, said that Gilleard was found the following evening asleep in the utility room of a cottage just a mile away in the nearby village of Freiston.

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Mr Sandford said: “Officers were called to the property. The occupier had discovered the defendant sleeping in her utility room. The defendant was sleepy and cold. There was no suggestion that he was in any way threatening or had taken anything or had caused any damage.

“He admitted what he had done. He simply walked out of the prison. He wanted to go back to Leeds for family reasons.”

Mr Sandford said that the outside door to the utility room had been left unlocked but the door into the main part of the cottage was locked.

Gilleard ,34, who is originally from the Leeds area admitted escaping from lawful custody on December 2.

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Today (Wednesday) he was given a four month jail sentence which will run concurrently with the indeterminate sentence for public protection imposed on at Leeds Crown Court in October 2011.

Neil Sands, defending, said Gilleard had problems with two other inmates at a previous jail which led the prison service to move him for his own protection.

Mr Sands said that the two men were transferred to North Sea Camp and Gilleard raised the issue with prison staff.

His concerns were not dealt with, he believed, due to staff shortages and instead he walked out.

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Mr Sands said: “He was convinced these individuals would cause him serious harm. It was not a pre-planned action. He left without warm clothes or money and he had not arranged for anyone to collect him from prison.”

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