Erlestoke Prison governor Andy Rogers has denied that an inmate who absconded on a tractor was under pressure to smuggle in drugs.

Mr Rogers spoke out after Steven Clarke was sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court for taking a tractor without consent. Clarke, 53, had been cutting grass outside the prison on September 13 when he drove off ending up at North Wilts Golf Course at Bishops Cannings.

Defence barrister Marcus Tregilgas-Davey told the court Clarke had been approached to bring in drugs and told deputy governor Paul Wiltshire in an interview.

But Mr Rogers told the Gazette: “The interview with Paul Wiltshire happened after Mr Clarke was arrested and in police custody. That was the first time we knew he was under any sort of threat.”

Clarke had been at Erlestoke for just over a year when he absconded. He was serving a four-year and ten month sentence for burglary and had been working outside for eight weeks before he fled.

Mr Rogers said: “Every prisoner we send out on licence we check with them daily to make sure they are not under pressure to bring drugs and mobile phones in.

“We had gone through that process with Mr Clarke. A number of senior managers had discussed it with him.”

Mr Rogers said it was a complete surprise that Clarke absconded. “A member of staff spoke to Mr Clarke half an hour before he made his getaway about the work he was going to do the next day and no concerns were raised by Mr Clarke.

“We did some investigations after he raised his concerns and there was very little in what he was telling us that was accurate.”

Mr Rogers said if a prisoner reports being pressured about drugs his staff would take a hard line.

“We would formally debrief them and then follow up with intelligence assessments within the prison. They may be removed from working outside, either temporarily or permanently, depending on the information and the risks we find.

“If named individuals are found to be pressuring others they can be segregated and charged internally and with the Crown Prosecution Service and police.”

Mr Rogers said after Clarke absconded the prison reviewed its procedures for working in the community but found nothing needed to be changed.

He said hundreds of prisoners were released on licence every year and Clarke was the only one in 2010 who absconded.