AN inmate who was originally jailed for throwing bleach in a teen’s face escaped Thorn Cross after jumping through a window.

Lee Thorpe smashed the window before escaping in a vehicle which he had arranged to wait for him outside of the prison gates in Appleton Thorn.

He was serving a 10-and-a-half year prison sentence after leaving his victim blind in one eye and scarred for life after a sick unprovoked attack in 2016 - inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.

Thorpe was originally in HMP Lancaster Farms Prison before moving to Thorn Cross, a Category D prison, at the beginning of this year.

The 36-year-old appeared before Chester Crown Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to escaping lawful custody.

Prosecuting, Mr Mark Phillips told the court how the incident happened on March 26 at around 1am.

Prison officers were alerted after a fire alarm sounded in the building.

As they went upstairs where the alarm was going off, they found Thorpe, originally of Swinton, with another male.

Mr Phillips said that when the prison officers went elsewhere to carry out further checks, they heard a loud bang.

The court heard how this noise was from Thorpe who had smashed a window before escaping – assaulting a prison officer on the way.

He went to the prison gates where a vehicle was waiting to pick him up.

Just an hour later, the vehicle was traced by officers in Salford and subsequently pulled over by police.

Despite attempting to evade on foot, Thorpe was soon apprehended after being at large for an hour.

Mr Phillips told the court that Thorpe has three previous convictions for six offences and was due to be released from prison in April this year.

Defending, Jeremy Rawson said how that day Thorpe had received some bad news that his friend had died.

He told the court that Thorpe had made a telephone call to arrange for someone to collect him from outside of the prison.

Thorpe had almost served his entire sentence when he committed the offence.

Concluding, judge Patrick Thompson said: “You obviously became frustrated and decided to leave prison.

“You have actually sentenced yourself to more time in custody.”

Judge Thompson added that Thorpe was originally in custody for a ‘very serious’ offence and that his escape was aggravated by the damage caused, because he assaulted a police officer and that there was a degree of planning as there was a vehicle waiting for him.

He was handed a further 10 months in prison.