Inmates who escaped an open jail were caught hours later after heading straight to a pub and boasting about what they’d done

• Vincent Israel, 31, and Peter Johnson, 29, were caught at a pub in Kettering
• The pair scaled a five-foot fence to escape HMP Sudbury in Derbyshire
• They drove 50 miles from the Category D prison to the Stitching Pony pub
• Both had four months added to the end of sentences after they were caught 

Two fugitives have been jailed for a further four months after they were caught boasting about their escape in the pub.

Convicted armed robber Vincent Israel, 31, and burglar Peter Johnson, 29, scaled a five-foot high fence to escape HMP Sudbury on September 9.

The pair drove 50 miles from the Category D prison in Derbyshire to the Stitching Pony in Kettering, Northamptonshire.

A customer called the police after they were overheard boasting of their escape.

Israel and Johnson, both from Corby in Northamptonshire, admitted charges of escaping from lawful custody on Wednesday. 

They were both jailed for a further four months after they appeared via video-link at Northampton Crown Court.

Convicted armed robber Vincent Israel (left), 31, and burglar Peter Johnson (right), 29, scaled a five-foot high fence to escape HMP Sudbury on September 9.

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

The court heard Israel and Johnson were reported missing from the open jail after a roll call found they weren’t in their cells.

An immediate search of the area was carried out but they pair had already scaled the perimeter fence, driven into another county and were enjoying a drink in the pub.

Prosecutor Neil Bannister said police received a report that Johnson was in the Horsemarket area of Kettering with another man just before 10pm.

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

The pair drove 50 miles from the Category D prison in Derbyshire to the Stitching Pony in Kettering, Northamptonshire. Pictured, Sudbury Prison

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 robbing a newsagents, was taken to hospital 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.’

Liam Muir, defending 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.’

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