Concurrent jail term for killer who walked out of open prison

Mark David Powell, 32, was caught in his home town of Featherstone a week after he absconded from Sudbury Prison in Derbyshire.

Andrew Stranex, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court yesterday Powell left the prison without permission on April 1, later saying it was because he was concerned about parole.

He was only 16 when he battered Second World War veteran Gilbert Northern to death with a brick in 1995 in Station Lane, Featherstone and 18 by the time in 1996 he was ordered to be detained at her

Majesty's Pleasure for the 74-year-old's murder.

Christopher Morton, representing Powell, said he had spent more than 15 years in jail and was moved to the Category D prison two years ago to prepare him for release.

In anticipation of that he had a paid job earning 200 a week outside the prison as a warehouseman, enjoyed town visits, and was allowed home leave for five days over a weekend every month during which he had met his current girlfriend.

He had a parole hearing scheduled for April 23 but became frustrated after his probation officer suggested he postpone it six months because of two recent adjudications against him in prison.

He had taken some salad from the kitchen to his cell and was found with a SIM card when he returned to prison after a weekend visit, leading to him losing privileges for nine weeks.

"It was his frustration at that situation which led to him walking out of prison after he had returned from a visit to town that day."

He spent time with friends in East Yorkshire before returning to his girlfriend's home. She persuaded him to give himself up but before he could do so he was arrested on April 7.

He had already been dealt with internally in prison, losing privileges for three months in 2006 for walking out of prison for a day and the current offence would no doubt affect his parole date.

Powell admitted escape and was sentenced to 12 months in prison to run concurrent to his present sentence.

The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC said he accepted it was done spontaneously and no offence was committed during the seven days he was at large, but it was always a serious offence.