A drug dealer was arrested in Germany more than eight months after absconding from an open UK prison, where he changed his name without authorities realising.

Dean Woods left HMP Sudbury, a category D facility in Derbyshire, while on day release last November 19 and never returned.

By the time the alarm was raised, the 41-year-old had travelled to Liverpool and boarded a ferry using a passport in the name of Simon Corner – after legally changing his name without prison bosses finding out.

He was arrested while travelling from Dublin to Frankfurt on August 13 and sent back to the UK on September 4, Derbyshire Police said on Friday.

While Woods, of Liverpool, will now serve the remaining 10 years of his 12-year sentence in a category B prison, he faces no further charges.

Dean Woods made a concerted effort to not only leave the UK in order to escape serving the jail time he had been given for very serious offences – but to also remain free through a variety of criminal means.

Police said: “No further charges were able to be brought against Woods due to the specific requirements of the arrest warrant.

“The UK offence of being unlawfully at large is not mirrored in Germany and he could not be returned to face charges on that specific offence.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Gemma Booth said: “Dean Woods made a concerted effort to not only leave the UK in order to escape serving the jail time he had been given for very serious offences – but to also remain free through a variety of criminal means.

“I want to pay particular thanks to the determination of detectives from within our International Liaison Office who relentlessly pursued Woods.

“Despite his best efforts, I am pleased to report that he is now safely detained.”

The Ministry of Justice has been approached for comment.