A PRISONER who escaped from open prison to see his dying mum must serve an extra six months inside.

Carl Cluley, who was in jail for wounding, admitted escaping lawful custody at HMP Hewell when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old was serving a nine year and four month prison sentence for wounding with intent and threatening to intimidate a witness or juror, a jail term imposed on November 30, 2015.

He walked out of jail the day after he learned his mum was terminally ill and was at large for four days before he was returned to the Tardebigge prison.

He had been due for release on May 11 next year and had been granted open prison residence on January 28 this year.

Michael Conry, prosecuting, said it was noted that Clueley was absent from the 5pm roll call on April 7 this year.

His cell was checked and he was not there either. He was located by police at his step-mother’s home in Elmwood Road, Birmingham in a rear downstairs bedroom.

“He has numerous previous convictions” said Mr Conry.

Lee Egan, defending, said: “He found out on April 6 his mum was terminally ill, suffering from stomach cancer. He walked out on the seventh. She died on July 26.

He said his client had now been returned to category C conditions (rather than category D conditions) and will serve the rest of his sentence.

“He has only himself to blame for that” said Mr Egan.

Mr Egan said it may have been that compassionate leave could have been arranged for him so he could have seen his mum had Cluley spoken to the prison authorities.

From the way he was treated at Hewell Mr Egan said the defendant believed ‘that was quite likely’.

“His judgement was simply clouded by the grief of discovering his mother’s terminal illness” said Mr Egan.

He said the case of a prisoner who escaped and was at large for 15 days was the relevant authority on the matter.

In that case the escaped prisoner claimed he wanted to return home to see his son on his fifth birthday.

This defendant however did not go home to see his son, went to stay with some friends instead before becoming involved in a fight and sustaining serious injuries.

Mr Egan said his client's reasons for escaping were 'more understandable' than this and the other case was a more serious example of escape.

Judge Robert Juckes QC said Cluley had ‘a poor record’ and the sentence he imposed had to be one of immediate custody to support the prison service and discourage escape.

The judge imposed a six month prison sentence which must be served in addition to the prison sentence he is already serving for wounding.