An inmate who fled Erlestoke Prison aboard a tractor had been under pressure to smuggle in drugs , Salisbury Crown Court heard.

Steven Clarke was deemed suitable to work in the community but drove off while grass cutting. He was chased by the police and arrested after ditching the tractor on the 13th green at North Wilts Golf Club, at Bishops Cannings – more than ten miles from the prison .

He had been spotted by a former Erlestoke employee Nigel Stokes and a serving prison officer, who were driving towards Devizes when they recognised the prison vehicle.

The incident happened just before 5pm on September 13.

In court yesterday Clarke, 53, pleaded guilty to taking the tractor without consent. Charges of attempting to escape from lawful custody, aggravated vehicle taking and using the tractor with no insurance were dropped.

At the time of the incident Clarke had just over 12 months left of a four year and ten month sentence for burglary. He had been working outside for eight weeks.

Clarke’s barrister, Marcus Tregilgas-Davey, told the court: “Mr Clarke was always planning to defend the escape charge. He was an enhanced Category D prisoner (the lowest risk). He was approached to bring drugs into the prison.

“The defence obtained an interview that occurred between Mr Clarke and the deputy governor of Erlestoke Prison, Paul Wiltshire, in which it is clear Mr Clarke had been telling the prison authorities he was being pressured to bring drugs in. He had clearly made all attempts to go down the correct avenues.

“He also subsequently named the people who were putting pressure on him both inside and outside the prison. Prisoners who work outside the prison on day release are in a vulnerable position because drugs are trafficked within the prison system.”

Since the incident Mr Tregilgas-Davey said Clarke had spent five months in a segregation unit at another prison for his own protection.

Clarke has a long list of convictions, including burglary and dishonesty, which his barrister described as a terrible record.

Clarke was due for release on December 9 this year. Judge Andrew Barnett imposed a four-month sentence for taking the tractor without consent to run concurrently.

The judge said: “I won’t say you made a bid for freedom but you made off, as it were, for a short period of time. You didn’t cause any damage to any property. Had you done so the sentence would have been longer.”