An inmate who absconded from a prison when he had just six months of his sentence left to serve wanted to see his brother who was ill in hospital, a court has heard.

Stuart Maycey, 31, of Pettit’s Road, Dagenham, was serving 11 years and four months for robbery and GBH when he went missing, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

Maycey failed to attend an 8am prison roll call in January and was then reported as missing to police a short time later.

He pleaded guilty yesterday to escaping from custody between January 21 and January 29.

Matthew Sorel-Cameron, for Maycey, told the court his client only had six months of his sentence to serve when he walked out of the open prison in Hollesley Bay, Suffolk in January.

“There were reasons why he left, including wanting to see his brother, who was seriously ill in hospital,” Mr Sorel-Cameron said.

He said that after being returned to prison Maycey had been released from his sentence in July after serving eight years and had now been at liberty for two weeks.

Judge David Goodin told Maycey that the sentence for the offence of escape from prison was usually a jail term, but he added: “Mr Sorel-Cameron believes he has a case for a suspended prison sentence in your case.”

Judge Goodin adjourned sentence until next Tuesday to enable Mr Sorel-Cameron to read reports written by Maycey’s probation officer.