A CONVICTED blackmailer will have to serve more time behind bars after he absconded from an open prison.

Anthony Healy walked out of HMP Prescoed near Usk and was only missing for a few hours after leaving at around midnight following evening roll call.

Prosecutor Sol Hartley said: “The defendant went to Caerphilly to meet someone and he then handed him himself at Bedwas police station at 10.45am.”

Cardiff Crown Court heard how Healy had been sent to an open jail towards the end of a 31-month prison sentence imposed on February 20, 2023 for blackmail.

He admitted escaping from lawful custody on January 14.

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It was heard in mitigation how Healy was unhappy with life there and wanted to go back to a closed prison.

“No outside assistance or violence” was used by him in absconding, it was added.

Judge Shomon Khan told the 30-year-old defendant that this was “an unusual case”.

Healy was jailed for four months and ordered to pay a £187 victim surcharge following his release from custody.