Burglar on run from UK's cushiest prison (From Gazette Series)

Burglar on run from UK's cushiest prison

AFTER four months on the run from Leyhill Prison, a burglar was finally captured when he was arrested for drink-driving, a court was told.

David Toth, 28, had absconded from HMP Leyhill - dubbed Britain's cushiest jail - in August and he remained at large until December 16 when police stopped him for a breath test.

At Gloucester Crown Court last Friday, Toth, of no fixed address, was sentenced to an extra nine months' imprisonment for the escape, which he will serve on top of the 30 months' sentence he received on August 20 last year for burglary.

Prosecutor Adrian Foster told the court that Toth began his term at HMP Dorchester before being transferred to Leyhill, a minimum security jail, on July 11 this year.

On August 20 - the first anniversary of his jail term - Toth went missing from the prison near Tortworth where prisoners are free to come and go as they please.

"He was only arrested on December 16 whilst driving," Mr Foster said. "He was found to be over the limit."

Magistrates gave him a three-month consecutive sentence for that offence.

Stephen Richards, defending, said: "His release date was to have been April 24 2006 - but he knows that has now disappeared into the distant future."

He added that Toth, who had been abused as a child, had felt "scared, alone, lost and on edge" when he moved to Leyhill and that was why he escaped.

Judge Michael Roach told Toth that only a consecutive sentence - one that would run on top of his original term - was suitable.

"You know and I know that I cannot condone escape from prison," he said.