Prisoner escapes from the dock at Hull Crown Court

Hull Crown Court was today locked down with jurors and members of the public not allowed in or out as a search was made for an escaping prisoner.

An armed response vehicle and a dog van were positioned outside Hull Crown Court after a 24-year-old man charged with burglary and aggravated vehicle taking jumped out of a court dock of court four and ran towards judge’s chambers.

The man from Hessle Road, Hull, was being held on remand at Hull Prison, and had been due to start a trial at Hull Crown Court having pleaded not guilty to both charges.

He had been brought in to the dock of court four at 2.30pm when he jumped a 4ft tall glass security screen followed by a security officer in hot pursuit.

Recorder David Osborne was not at his seat, but the man made it through the door which leads to the judge’s chambers.

There was no one seen on camera leaving the building but an exist fire door was found open into Chapel Lane.

The police were called to the scene after the court clerk pressed a panic button and a 999 call was made by the CPS unit. A description of what he looked like was passed to the court staff and all exit doors were locked.

Reports of him being armed were made to the police, although there was no one who saw him with a weapon.

A fire door for the judge’s emergency escape route to Chapel Lane, Hull was found unlocked. The lock down, a staff search for him possibly hiding, took 60 minutes with barristers and witnesses left outside unable to enter the building.

Judge Mark Bury ordered a guard should be put on his door in court two while a trial continued to take place in case the man made an appearance – mid trial and tried to exit.

A barrister in court said: “He came into court and sat at the far end away from the guard which made me think he was going to do something. The court was empty. A jury panel had not been sworn in. I can’t believe he went out through the judge’s door. Moments later Judge Osborne would have been sat there. It seems like he has struck lucky as there are stairs there which lead straight out into the street.

“It would not have happened if we had the security we have been calling for and enough people to do their jobs.”

After an hour the doors were opened to allow the public in. The police were searching Hull’s Old Town and his home on Hessle Road at 3pm today.

His planned trial was abandoned and the jury sent home.