Man admits kidnapping girl after he escaped jail

ASEX offender has pleaded guilty to escaping from prison and kidnapping a schoolgirl – on the same day.

John Harris, 36, absconded from HMP Leyhill on October 16 and “unlawfully and by force took or carried away the girl against her will” from a school.

He pleaded guilty to escaping prison, kidnap and breaching a sexual harm prevention order during a short hearing at Bristol Crown Court yesterday.

The charges relate to an incident in the Stroud area in Gloucestershire.

Harris, who appeared via video link from jail, spoke only to confirm his name and age.

The sexual harm prevention order, issued in 2009 by Woolwich Crown Court, prevented Harris from approaching any child aged under 16.

He will appear at the court next Friday for sentencing.

Harris is one of a number of prison- ers to escape from HMP Leyhill in recent years.

In August, convicted rapists JohnPaul Knowlson and Stuart O’Neill absconded before being caught by police.

The pair are believed to have exited the prison by forcing a door.

Convicted killer Keith Whitehouse absconded in February, but was arrested after being spotted by a member of the public.

Whitehouse is serving a life sentence for manslaughter, committed in 1991, when he was given a home release from prison.

He was serving a sentence for kidnap at the time.

Two sex offenders who absconded from the prison in 2017 were caught five days later in Humberside.

In total, nine prisoners absconded from the jail last year.