A CONVICTED murderer absconded from Prescoed Prison and went on the run for 20 days, a court heard.

Brian Grady, 26, was jailed for life in July 2003 after a violent street mugging in Bristol city centre, where his victim died from a single knife wound.

But, he walked out of Usk’s open prison on January 14 this year, with a recorder slamming his actions as causing "fear and apprehension" among people in the rural Monmouthshire area.

Newport Crown Court heard that Grady has spent time in ten different institutions and was moved to Prescoed last September to acclimatise to a more relaxed regime ahead of being due for parole in July 2014.

However, at 11.45pm on January 14, CCTV picked Grady up leaving the site with bags and a holdall.

Prosecutor John Warren described how he ran from guards and escaped in a car - a relative has since been sentenced to eight months in prison after admitting assisting an offender.

Mr Warren said Grady was located by police in his home city of Bristol on February 3. He was found astride a motorbike in the living room of a property on Beaconsfield Close.

Defence barrister Robert Duval said Grady had completed every course required of him, as well as GCSEs and NVQs in catering and fitness.

He said: "He was a trusted prisoner, who was a fitness instructor for younger prisoners. He was doing remarkably well and it was expected his release would have been granted."

However, Mr Duval said other inmates noticed an entry in the prison diary, saying he was due to be transferred back to fully secure accommodation and told him of this.

"He was devastated. He had been in prison since a young age and believed he had done everything to secure his release. He became overwhelmed by the injustice," the advocate added.

Recorder David Aubrey said: "Escaping from prison is particularly serious concerning a man sentenced for murder, with the fear and apprehension it would have caused to people with you at large."

He sentenced Grady to two years concurrent to his current sentence, meaning he won’t now be eligible for parole until March 2015.