A PRISONER who went on the run after learning his mother was ill with cancer has been sentenced to a further six weeks behind bars.

Bolton Crown Court heard Dean Worthington had been serving a two year jail term for burglary and theft at HM Prison Prescoed in South Wales.

But on July 27 he walked out of the open prison and returned home to Bolton. Police arrested him at his address in Cheriton Drive five days later.

Mark Friend, defending, told the Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Timothy Clayson that in July 37-year-old Worthington found out that his mother was seriously ill and applied to be transferred to a prison nearer to her home in Farnworth. But he feared permission would not come through before his due release date on November 24.

“The unfortunate irony was that, after he had escaped, the prison authorised the transfer. He was not aware that the transfer had been granted,” said Mr Friend.

Worthington pleaded guilty to escaping from prison and appeared at Bolton Crown Court for sentencing via a video link from Forest Bank jail.

Judge Clayson told Worthington that he will now spend half of an additional six week sentence in prison for the offence.

He told him: “It is appreciated that anybody in custody who learns of the ill health of a relative is going top be seriously concerned.

“Had you stayed put you would have, in fact, been moved to a more convenient prison.You were not at large for very long and your personal circumstances are significant mitigation.”