`Bullied' teenager went on run from detention centre; Escape adds eight more months to sentence.

Byline: ELWYN ROBERTS

A NORTH Wales teenager allegedly feared for his life because of bullying at a youth detention centre -- so he escaped.

And when Glyn David Hall, 18, was found back home in Queen's Road, Llandudno Junction, he tried to escape again by giving the arresting police officers false details -- but they recognised him anyway, a court heard yesterday.

Maria Massellis, defending at Mold Crown Court, said Hall had been subjected to bullying at the Thorn Cross youth detention centre at Warrington.

He could not cope, feared for his life, and decided to run away.

``The reason he took off from Thorn Cross was that he was being subjected to quite a degree of bullying by fellow inmates, '' she said.

``He brought it to the attention of the authorities and sought a transfer to another centre. ''

She explained that Hall had become involved in an argument with one individual who had been at the centre for quite some time, would remain there for some time, and who had a lot of friends there.

``All of them brought pressure to bear upon him and he simply did not feel able to cope, '' she said, adding that some prisoners who escape are not prosecuted but dealt with internally by the prison authorities -- by being given an additional 28 days.

But Hall, who admitted escape on July 20 this year, was given an additional eight months to be served consecutively to the 20 months he is already serving for burglary.

Judge John Rogers QC told Hall that the guideline sentences for escape ranged from six months to two years.

``The principle is quite simple, '' he said. ``If you escape from custody then your sentence is increased, otherwise the whole system will break down. ''

However, he said he took into account the early guilty plea, which had been a very important factor.

Judge Rogers said the defendant had a number of previous convictions and all manner of sentencing had been tried -- but they had all had to be revoked because he did not co-operate, and thought he could ignore community sentences. That was why he had had to be given a custodial sentence.

Clearly, he also now thought he could ignore a custodial sentence, but he could not.