Arrested man under police guard in hospital escapes - when they left to get him coffee and biscuits - The Coventry Observer

Arrested man under police guard in hospital escapes - when they left to get him coffee and biscuits

Coventry Editorial 22nd Jul, 2019 Updated: 22nd Jul, 2019   0

AN arrested man who was under police guard in hospital escaped after one of the officers left to get him a coffee and the other went off to get him some biscuits to go with it.

Left alone in the room, Kieron Jenkins could not believe his luck – and he simply walked out, still in his green hospital-issue pyjamas.

But he was recaptured at his home a few days later, and pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to handling stolen property, assaulting an emergency worker and escaping from custody.

Jenkins (30) of Victoria Street, Hillfields, Coventry, was given consecutive jail terms of three months for the handling, six months for the assault and five months for his escape.




Prosecutor Stuart Clarkson said that in March there was a burglary at a house in Melbourne Road, Coventry, during which a laptop computer and an X-box were stolen.

Later that day Jenkins, who had not been involved in the burglary, sold the laptop at the CeX shop, using his own account there, for £112.


On June 12 officers on patrol in the city saw Jenkins, who was on licence and was wanted on recall to prison and for receiving the stolen laptop.

There was a chase, during which he tried to climb a fence, but was brought down by one of the officers who was bitten to his arm by Jenkins during the struggle which followed.

The officer struck out at Jenkins, briefly stunning him, and he was arrested, but continued to resist as he was put into the police car.

After being taken to the police station, he was then taken to University Hospital for assessment because of concerns for his mental health.

“He was being guarded by officers, and he asked for a coffee and a biscuit. They went to get one, and he took the opportunity of leaving the room and making off.

“Even though he was still in green pyjamas, they lost him, but some days later they attended his address and arrested him,” said Mr Clarkson.

When he was then questioned, Jenkins, who had a number of previous convictions for offences including handling, blamed the officers for his escape, saying they should not have let him make off.

David Murray, defending, said that following the burglary Jenkins, who was on licence from a sentence imposed in June last year, was offered the laptop for £90 and sold it for £112.

Mr Murray said Jenkins had been recalled to prison once before, after it had been made clear to him that if he was sent back he was to take ‘a package’ into the jail.

He had not done so, as a result of which he was assaulted and his nose was broken – so he made off when approached by the officers because he feared the same thing would happen again.

Of what happened at the hospital, Mr Murray said: “He was clearly under arrest. He asked one officer for a cup of tea, and that officer left, and he then asked the other officer for a packet of biscuits.

“That officer left as well. He then took the opportunity to leave. It wasn’t planned.”

He added that the threat Jenkins faced in prison remains, and he was on 24-hour lock-down and will be moved to another jail for his own safety.

Jailing Jenkins, Judge Barry Berlin told him: “In a room at the hospital you asked offices for a coffee and biscuits. That was plainly a ruse and you made your escape in green pyjamas.”

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