Manhunt as prisoner escapes from jail

Frankie Michael O’Leary escapes from HMP Sudbury in Derbyshire

(Derbyshire Constabulary)

A manhunt has been launched after a prisoner escaped from a jail in Derbyshire. Frankie Michael O’Leary absconded from HMP Sudbury, Ashbourne, at around 5.30pm on Friday, 12 January.

It was unclear exactly how O’Leary, who was sentenced to a seven-year, 10-month sentence for GBH with intent in 2021, escaped.

O’Leary is described as being 5ft 10ins tall, has brown hair which is short on the sides and longer on top, and is of slight build with blue eyes.

He was last seen wearing a pair of black Under Armour tracksuit bottoms, a black puffa jacket, and a pair of white and grey Nike trainers.

Police are appealing for anyone who might have information about O’Leary’s whereabouts to contact them but have been warned not to approach him.

Officers said he has links to several areas across the country including north London; Bedfordshire, Poole, Dorset; Hampshire, Lymington area; North Wales,  Llandudno; Brighton and Hove; Northampton, Blackthorn area; Cambridgeshire, Bedford area; Wiltshire, Swindon area.

HMP Sudbury is an open prison that holds just over 600 adult men.

It is a Category D jail, meaning it has minimal security.

File photo: HMP Sudbury in Derbyshire (PA)

Eligible prisoners are allowed to spend most of their day away from the prison on licence to carry out work, education and other rehabilitation activities.

Category prisons only house prisoners who have been risk-assessed and deemed suitable for open conditions.

An unannounced inspection of the jail in August last year found that it was “reasonably good” on several areas, including safety, rehabilitation and respect towards staff.

However a “significant quantity” of illegal narcotics had been entering the prison, which had a bigger drugs problem than other comparable jails.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “All prisoners in Category D jails are robustly risk-assessed and absconds have reduced by more than two-thirds since 2010.

“Offenders who break the rules are punished and face extra time behind bars and we are working with the police to recapture this prisoner.”