Prisoner who escaped from Doncaster jail given more time behind bars

Sheffield Crown Court heard on January 26 how Jose Blanco, aged 29, had been an inmate at HMP Hatfield, Doncaster, after he had been sentenced to three years of custody in October, 2019, for causing death by dangerous driving.Kevin Jones, prosecuting, said Blanco was due for conditional release on April 29 but he fled from HMP Hatfield on December 19.

Mr Jones said: “On December 19 he was on C Wing and there was some sort of incident – not particularly involving this defendant.

"But officers were there and he was seen and was asked to go to his cell and he was a little argumentative and did not want to go back to his cell.”Mr Jones added red marks had been seen on Blanco’s neck and after a further incident and reports that a fire door had been opened a roll-call revealed Blanco had absconded.The court heard Blanco handed himself in at Doncaster police station on December 23 on his 29th birthday.Judge Sarah Wright said: “In the few days he was at large he did not commit any offences and he did not seek to have a Christmas drink or meet up with his family.”Blanco, who pleaded guilty to escaping, had allegedly been assaulted by prisoners before he absconded, according to Judge Sarah Wright.Kieran Galvin, defending, said: “Until this offending he was more or less a model prisoner. When he leaves prison he has got accommodation, he has got a business and he has got prospects and can be a valuable member of society again.”Judge Wright told Blanco: “Although you say you had been assaulted, you made no complaint to the officer at that time.”Judge Wright sentenced Blanco to three months of custody to run consecutively to his current custodial sentence.

South Yorkshire Police who previously referred to Blanco as Jose Blanco-Medina had issued an appeal after he absconded and revealed he has links to Riddlesden and Bradford in West Yorkshire.

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