Prolific burglar who escaped custody when police officer went for a drink avoids another stretch behind bars

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Matthew McNab, aged 35, had been picked up by police at his address in Stebbings in Sutton Hill, Telford on March 10 this year.

Mr Richard Davenport, prosecuting, told Shrewsbury Crown Court on Thursday that McNab was wanted on recall having breached his licence conditions after he was jailed for burglary in February last year.

Mr Davenport said officers arrested him just after noon but were concerned by a” large swelling” on McNab’s collar bone.

He said police officers forewent the handcuffs due to the injury and took McNab to a “secure hospital” to be checked out.

“At around 2pm he went for an X-ray and officers stayed with him,” said Mr Davenport.

But he added that at around 4.20pm, the police constable sitting with McNab “went to get a drink from the drinks machine” leaving the defendant unattended who “made good his escape”.

He told the court that police dogs were called in and McNab, who the court heard had 34 previous convictions for 74 offences, mainly for burglary, was picked up by police after 35 minutes.

Ms Rosemary Proctor, defending McNab, said the defendant knew his escape was “deeply stupid” adding that McNab, who had pleaded guilty to a single charge of escaping legal custody, “didn’t know what to do once he’d done it”.

The Judge, Mr Recorder David Lock KC said any attempt to escape lawful custody “required a sentence of imprisonment” but conceded that he had been in custody since his “opportunistic” escape.

“This was not a sophisticated break-out. In fact it was completely on the other end of the scale,” the Judge said.

He imposed a three-month jail term but suspended the sentence for 12 months.