Lag sparked major prison alert by stuffing pillow in bed to fool guards – just days before Pentonville escape pair did the same
Incident at HMP Cardiff came just days before Matthew Baker and James Whitlock managed to escape using same ruse
A CON sparked a major prison alert when he left a dummy in his cell bed — only days before two lags used the same ruse to escape Pentonville.
The inmate stuffed his sheets with pillows to fool guards into thinking he was sleeping.
But they found him in a nearby cell necking illegally brewed hooch with another lag. Both men caught at HMP Cardiff have been disciplined.
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The pair also used diamond-tipped gear to cut bars before shimmying down a 25ft prison wall on tied bedsheets.
Baker, 28, who is awaiting sentencing for attempted murder, was recaptured last week.
Whitlock, 31, on remand for burglary offences, was caught yesterday in East London.
Two others were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. Prison officers found the dummy on Cardiff’s E wing after spotting two cons sitting in a cell meant for one.
Like Pentonville, Cardiff is a category B jail. It holds around 820 lags.
Glyn Travis, of the Prison Officers Association, said: “This is an example of the sort of difficult situation we face and shows an officer doing an exceptional job. Staff shortages mean it is harder to be proactive.”