A JAILED drug dealer escaped from prison by climbing a fence sparking a two week police hunt.

Scott Warner, 34, scaled the fence of HMP Sudbury, in Derbyshire, and made off on foot after growing “frustrated” about his time behind bars on April 6.

Sam Thomas, prosecuting at Chelmsford Crown Court said: “Two weeks later Mr Warner was seen driving a white Mini Cooper and was stopped by the police.

“He was removed from the driver’s seat of the vehicle and gave the name Scott Smith. Officers then used a fingerprint device and identified that he was Mr Warner.”

Echo: Daring escape - Scott Warner scaled a fence at HMP SudburyDaring escape - Scott Warner scaled a fence at HMP Sudbury (Image: Essex Police)

Following his arrest on April 23, Warner told officers: “I’ll be honest, the reason why I did this is I was five hours away from home.”

The drug dealer had only served five months of his 45 month sentence handed to him in November last year for being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin in north Essex.

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Mr Thomas added: “This was not a particularly sophisticated escape. He did not surrender himself and was at large for almost two weeks.”

The court heard Warner also made off without paying for £163 of petrol during his escape and was both uninsured and without a driving licence when he was caught.

Echo: Escape - HMP Sudbury in DerbyshireEscape - HMP Sudbury in Derbyshire (Image: PA)

Warner, previously of London Road, Clacton, admitted escape and was handed an additional ten months onto his prison sentence.

Donal Lawler, mitigating, said his client was at a prison in Nottinghamshire and following a request to move closer to home, he was, in fact, moved further away to Derbyshire.

“He was feeling even more isolated and frustrated in prison,” said Mr Lawler. “He took a very ill-judged and unwise decision to go over the fence and escape.”

Recorder Ciaran Rankin told Warner, who has 97 previous offences, he has a “terrible record”, adding: “Deterrence is an important feature in this type of offending.”

Warner will now be released from prison in April 2025 having served half of his sentence.

He was handed a further 17 month driving ban.

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