A Hollesley Bay prisoner who walked out of the open jail asked police him up from a chip shop a few hours later, a court heard.

Michael Hood was finishing off a bag of chips when officers arrived at the Melton Fish Bar in Station Road, Melton, on October 9.

The 25-year-old was given a further four weeks imprisonment by Ipswich Crown Court after pleading guilty to escaping from lawful custody.

Hood absconded after prison authorities were said to have ignored his complaints about a problem he had with another inmate.

Robert Sadd, prosecuting, said Hood walked out of HMP Hollesley Bay at around 5pm.

He walked to the fish and chip shop arriving about 8.30pm.

From there Hood called police asking them to come and pick him up, the court was told.

Mr Sadd said: “The motive is no particular desire to escape, but he had certain difficulties inside that establishment (Hollesley Bay) which he sought to bring to the attention of the authorities without success and thought that a short walk might cause them to pay attention.”

The court heard there was no real attempt to escape from the prison.

As a result of him absconding Hood has had his prospective parole date put back.

No details were given about the offence that led Hood to be originally imprisoned or the sentence he was serving.

Sentencing Hood, Judge John Holt said he had simply walked out of Hollesley Bay and then gave himself up.

The judge said: “It was a very short escape and a very short protest.”

After the case, a spokeswoman for Suffolk Constabulary said officers had received a call from the open prison around three hours after Hood had walked out.

Subsequently Hood contacted police to tell them where he was and asking to be picked up. When officers arrived Hood was said to have been polishing off a portion of chips and a coffee.