AN INMATE attempted a ‘ridiculous escape’ from a Portland prison with a broom handle, a bag of salt and bedsheets, a court was told.

Justin Paul Lee, 30, appeared at Dorchester Crown Court where he admitted attempting to escape from lawful custody at the YOI on Portland.

Sadie Rizzo, prosecuting, told the court that Lee was serving a six-year jail term for an offence of burglary and other matters after being sentenced in his hometown of Exeter in February last year and his earliest possible release date was in 2015.

She said at 6.45pm on March 7 this year the defendant was seen by a prison officer at the foot of the inside perimeter wall in an area that was out of bounds to inmates.

He admitted having been there for two hours and told the officer: “I can’t get over the top.”

A bag of rock salt and breeze blocks had been put up against the wall and Lee admitted he had been using torn strips of bed sheet and a broom handle to try to pull down the razor wire on top of the wall.

When interviewed he said he had made the attempt to escape because he wanted a transfer out of the prison.

Jamie Porter, representing Lee, said his client had originally been in Exeter Prison and wanted to return there to be close to his family, including his terminally ill grandfather who had since died.

He said: “It would appear on the face of it he is suggesting it was only a distraction device in order for him to be moved away from the prison.

“Nonetheless he accepts this was an attempt to potentially escape.”

Mr Porter added that the escape effort had been a ‘ridiculous attempt’.

He said: “It took two hours for him to essentially litter the razor wire with some shredded sheets and a broom handle.”

Judge Roger Jarvis sentenced Lee, who is currently serving at HMP Dovegate in Staffordshire, to 10 months in prison with the term to be served consecutive to his existing sentence.

He said Lee’s actions had threatened to undermine the discipline of the prison system.