Prison break: Two inmates ‘still at large’ after jumping fence to escape HMP Sudbury

Police have warned the public not to approach the men

Sam Hawkins [L] and Darren McKay [R] (Derbyshire Police)

Two prisoners are “still at large” after jumping over the fence of HMP Sudbury in Derbyshire, police said.

Sam Hawkins and Darren McKay were seen on CCTV escaping the open Category D prison at 10.15pm on Monday (11 October).

They were later seen on the A515 towards Ashbourne. One of them was carrying two rucksacks and the other was carrying one rucksack and wore a towel around his neck, Derbyshire Police said.

McKay, 37, who has links to Luton and the Harpenden area of Hertfordshire, was convicted at St Alban’s Crown Court in 2020 for burglary and driving offences.

Police described him as around 6ft 2ins tall, has blue eyes, brown hair and is of stocky build with tattoos on his arms.

Hawkins, 34, who has links to Bexleyheath, Plumstead and Thamesmead in London, was convicted at Snaresbrook Crown Court in 2019 for burglary, theft and driving offences.

He is around 5ft 7ins tall, is of medium build, and has brown hair and brown eyes.

Police have advised members of the public to not approach them.

This year, at least a dozen men have escaped from HMP Sudbury, which holds about 600 men – most of whom are at the end of their sentences.

More than 1,500 men have absconded the prison since 1996, according to a report by the Derbyshire Telegraph.

One prisoner was absconding every five days at the height of the escapes from the prison, the newspaper adds.

In the report from 2018, Derbyshire Police chief constable Peter Goodman said prisoners usually abscond “for lots of different reasons”.

He added: “But it tends normally to be some kind of family crisis or some kind of relationship difficulty rather than being an attempt to escape prison and escape justice.”

Derbyshire Police is asking anyone who has any information about Hawkins and McKay’s current whereabouts to contact them by calling 101, citing reference 1278-111021.