Castle Huntly prisoner given eight months for absconding
A Castle Huntly prisoner, who failed to come back to the jail after being granted leave because he found it "degrading", has been given a further eight-month sentence.
Dennis Adams, 29, told Perth Sheriff Court he did not turn up because people were not being nice to him.
Adams admitted defeating the ends of justice by absconding on 24 February.
Sheriff John Halley jailed him for eight months, to be served concurrently with his existing sentence.
Adams, who is serving six years for stabbing a man in the chest and robbing him, complained that he had been "mocked" by staff in front of his fellow inmates.
Fiscal depute Chris Macintosh said: "He is serving six years prison imposed in February 2009 for assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger of life.
"He was transferred to Castle Huntly open estate in October last year. As part of his conditions he was allowed to go home on a temporary release licence on 20 February.
"One of the conditions was that he must return to Aberdeen bus station to be collected by G4S and he did not return, so he was reported as an absconder."
Mr Macintosh said that the authorities issued a public appeal to find Adams, who is from Aberdeen, because of the danger he posed.
Solicitor Pauline Cullerton, defending, said: "He tells me that since he was moved to Castle Huntly last October he has felt that he has been bullied by the staff.
"He feels they are constantly trying to degrade him in front of other prisoners and staff. He feels they are always having a go at him, no matter what he does.
"As a result he took the wrong decision not to return following home leave. He was picked up on 26 February and has pled guilty at the earliest opportunity."
Sheriff Halley said: "You were serving a sentence imposed by the High Court in relation to a very serious matter.
"You were moved to an open prison, no doubt as a reflection of some trust being placed in you. Further trust was placed in you when you were allowed a temporary release. "
"If you had proper grievances with the way you were being treated at Castle Huntly, then this was not the way to deal with them. You had to deal with them at Castle Huntly."