A PRISONER who was on temporary release from an open prison in Cheshire failed to return when he was supposed to.

Marlon Paul Hamer was on day release from HM Prison Thorn Cross in Appleton Thorn on May 7 this year.

But the 49-year-old was not back inside the Arley Road facility when he was supposed to.

Hamer was eventually caught in Manchester by officers from Greater Manchester Police after a week at large.

He was returned to a custodial setting and later charged with being a temporarily released prisoner unlawfully at large.

The defendant appeared before Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, May 14, where he pleaded guilty to the offence.

Hamer was subsequently committed to prison for three weeks by magistrates, with the sentence to run consecutive to the term of imprisonment he was already serving for making threats to kill.

In their reasoning, magistrates said that the offence was ‘so serious’ and was aggravated by the length of him he had spent at large.

Hamer was also ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £128.