A FORFAR youth who made an escape bid through the town’s sheriff court roof was sentenced to a further three months’ detention yesterday.

Aaron Esplin (17), of no fixed abode, sparked a major search after climbing into the court’s roofspace shortly after being handed a nine-month sentence.

Esplin admitted he attempted to defeat the ends of justice on June 21, but a sheriff expressed astonishment that he had earlier pleaded not guilty.

Fiscal depute Therese Oswald told the court Esplin had been sentenced to nine months in a young offenders’ institution that day, and had been escorted to the detention area.

“He was quite agitated and advised the escorting officer that he needed to go to the toilet,” she added.

The toilet door was left slightly ajar and, on hearing a noise inside, the officer investigated and saw Esplin’s legs protruding through a ceiling hatch.

The incident involved a Tayside Police search and rescue team and Fire Brigade rescue units from Forfar and Dundee.

Mrs Oswald said Esplin was discovered in Forfar soon after escaping, and was taken to Arbroath for hospital treatment to a cut he sustained while making his escape.

Sheriff Kevin Veal said he was astonished that Esplin had initially denied the offence.

“It is quite obvious that he had been sentenced—how he can say he did not do that is quite beyond me,” he said.

“This is a situation where, a week after the event, he had been sentenced, escaped from lawful custody and was found in a place away from the court—how could a plea of not guilty ever be contemplated?”

Defence agent Nick Markowski said his client had a vague recollection of that day, to the extent that he was unaware of the length of sentence imposed.

He told the court his client’s offending stemmed from alcohol and substance misuse.

Since being sent to Polmont he had signed up to a programme to address those issues, and was involved in his first work role.

The sheriff rejected any possibility that Esplin might receive a sentence that would not affect his scheduled release date.

He asked, “Are you saying it is appropriate that someone who escapes, goes into the roofspace of the court and jumps down should get out on the same release date—what would the public think of that?

Sheriff Veal continued, “It seems to me that he is extremely fortunate this has been dealt with by way of summary rather than solemn procedure.

“I consider that anybody who escapes from custody here can expect an immediate custodial sentence, and I am still not happy with the timing of the plea.”