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A prisoner who escaped from his cell after serving 17 years behind bars, has called his local paper to tell them jail was "driving me insane".
Greggor Grey, 42, from Birmingham, had absconded from HMP Sudbury in Derbyshire on May 15, when he made the call to Birmingham Live.
In the emotional phone call, long-term prisoner Grey said he intended to give himself up before his next scheduled parole hearing on June 14.
Speaking about the years he spent in jail, he said: "We're in prison for the last 17 years. It's driving me insane. I thought about just giving them the raw uncut emotion that I deal with on a daily basis."
Grey gave no indication of where he was during the brief phone call.
It is understood his initial sentence was just three years for robbery but he remains in jail because he is subject of a controversial IPP (Imprisonment for Public Protection).
Offenders sentenced to an IPP are set a minimum term which they must serve before they can apply to the Parole Board for release.
But the board will only release an offender if satisfied that it is no longer necessary to keep them in jail for the protection of the public.
IPPs were launched in 2005 but scrapped in 2012 after being described as the "single greatest stain" on the criminal justice system by former Supreme Court justice, Lord Brown.
But the decision was not retrospective – meaning those serving an IPP sentence still have to apply to the parole board for their freedom.
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In a previous statement, Derbyshire Police said about the escaped convict: "We are appealing for information after a convict absconded from HMP Sudbury. Greggor Grey left the open prison on Sunday 15 May.
"The 42-year-old who is serving a life sentence for robbery is described as black, 5ft 11ins tall and of stocky build.
"He is known to use the aliases of Moses Blake, McGreggor Gray and Marcus Osbourne and has links to the Leicester and Birmingham areas.
"Anyone who has seen him or knows of his whereabouts is asked to contact Derbyshire police quoting reference 688-150522.
"If you see Grey, please do not approach him, but contact police immediately.
"You can also anonymously contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111 or by visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org. In an emergency you should always call 999."
- Crime
- Prison News
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