A CASTLE HUNTLY prisoner who walked out to care for his terminally-ill father had a further two months added on to his sentence when he appeared in court yesterday.

Robert Burgess (30), from Glasgow, left the open prison on November 4, a year before his earliest possible release date. He had been imprisoned for four years for attempted murder in December 2004 and moved from Greenock Prison to Castle Huntly in September last year.

After absconding—a charge he admitted yesterday—he spent months with his cancer-stricken dad before handing himself into police.

His solicitor, Rosie Scott said, “things were not too bad at Greenock but he found the conditions at Castle Huntly very difficult.

“He was under stress because his father was very ill with cancer—he died earlier this year. He was worried and getting updates and his condition was deteriorating.

“There was a considerable drug problem in Castle Huntly and this caused him stress as well and he felt he couldn’t cope at Castle Huntly and he left.

“He is aware he will get time added on to his sentence and will have to complete his sentence. His main concern was his father’s ill health.”