A serving prisoner who spent four weeks on the run after walking out of a magistrates' court with ease was nabbed by police while enjoying a pint in a pub.

Daniel McAvoy, also known as Daniel Murray, has now had a further eight months added to his sentence.

After strolling out of an open door, the fugitive hailed a taxi and headed to Dartford to visit his father who was dying of cancer in a hospice.

But instead of then giving himself up, the 42-year-old criminal stayed at large for nearly four weeks - before he was caught in a pub.

McAvoy, who also has links to Ashford and Swale, admitted escape when he appeared at Maidstone Crown Court.

He made his bid for freedom after being jailed for 90 days at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court on September 22, concurrent to four-and-a-half years he was serving for burglary.

Handcuffs had been removed for a legal conference with his solicitor, but while left alone briefly he saw a door was open and simply walked out.

McAvoy was arrested while casually drinking at The Woodman pub in East Hill, Dartford, on October 16 after police were alerted by another customer.

He did not put up any resistance.

He told police he had taken a taxi to go and see his father at the hospice and then went home.

His earliest release date had been September 2017.

Judge Carey told McAvoy: “This is a serious case and there must be a deterrent element in this type of offending. It was spur of the moment and there was no violence.

“You should have given yourself up after seeing your father.”