A Hollesley Bay fugitive serving a seven-year jail term for aggravated burglary was recaptured while trying to break-into someone’s home, it has emerged.
Luke Wall moved to the open prison in July, only 19 months after being convicted following a Woolwich Crown Court trial in December 2013. He went on the run three months after arriving.
Following yesterday’s announcement of the 21-year-old’s recapture a spokeswoman for Tim Passmore, Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, said he intends to raise Wall’s case with Hollesley Bay’s governor.
Mr Passmore has previously expressed concerns over the number of absconders from the jail as well as the serious - and in many cases violent - nature of their convictions.
The spokeswoman said: “Tim Passmore is meeting with Hollesley’s Governor Declan Moore in February to discuss his concerns relating to this issue.”
Wall was caught last Friday morning when attempting to break-into a house in Bromley, Kent.
The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed he appeared before Bromley Magistrates Court on Saturday where he admitted attempted burglary of a dwelling.
Wall is due to be sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on January 18.
His 21-year-old co-accused has denied attempted burglary.
Wall absconded from Hollesley Bay on Tuesday, October 13.
He was aged 18 when he committed the aggravated burglary on April 20, 2013.
He and his co-defendant, who was jailed for eight years, were involved in a break-in at a home Eltham, south-east London.
During the burglary it is understood the occupant was threatened with a screwdriver.
After Wall absconded the Prison Service was asked how he could be sent to an open prison so early in his sentence.
In response a spokesman would only say: “HMP Hollesley Bay prisoner Luke Wall absconded from the prison.
“We are urgently investigating this incident and working with the police to help locate this offender and return him to custody.”
The Prison Service also said prisoners are risk-assessed before being allowed to go to open conditions.
Meanwhile police are still searching for another Hollesley absconder, Martin McDonagh, who was reported missing on Sunday morning.
The 30-year-old, from west London, was serving a nine-year sentence for causing death by dangerous driving after running over a man in Ealing in June 2007.
He was the fifth prisoner to flee Hollesley Bay in just over three months.
Alex Winsor, 30, who was serving a four-and-a-half-year sentence for burglary and handling stolen goods, was recaptured a mile-and-a-half from the prison after walking out on August 20. He was the first prisoner to abscond for five months, following burglar Kieron Watkins, 26, in March. Watkins was found in Norfolk.
On September 9 arsonist Liam Bourne-Hill, 30, who was serving an indeterminate sentence, went missing. He was found by police after asking his way back to prison at Bawdsey Quay.
Less than a week later Darren Hilling, 26, of Ipswich, who was also serving an indeterminate sentence for grievous bodily harm, disappeared.
He was found in Europa Way, Ipswich, after sending his ex-partner a text threatening to “break every bone in her neck”.
At least seven prisoners have absconded from Hollesley Bay this year.
The first was violent robber Kyle Naylor, 26, in January, who was subsequently recaptured.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here