By Mark Mackay

THE LAST of a trio of open prison absconders appeared from custody at Perth Sheriff Court yesterday.

A search began for bogus caller and housebreaker Dennis Smyth (39) after he failed to return to Castle Huntly by Longforgan following a period of home leave.

Smyth spent seven days at liberty before being tracked down by police officers.

He was hiding in a hedge in a grassy area in Muirhead, on the outskirts of Glasgow when apprehended.

Smyth had been sentenced to six years and eight months’ imprisonment by the High Court in Glasgow on February 22, 2006, after he was found guilty of 14 charges of housebreaking.

The accused had been posing as a plumber to ransack pensioners’ homes. His oldest victim was 94.

After serving time in closed conditions at Barlinnie, he was transferred to Castle Huntly in March.

He had been enjoying his second period of home leave.

Yesterday, he pled guilty to absconding from the open prison on July 16 with intent to defeat the ends of justice.

Depute fiscal Janine Bates said the accused had been required to return no later than 3pm on the 16th.

But by 5pm that day witnesses employed by the Scottish Prison Service became aware that the accused had failed to meet transport scheduled to uplift him from Buchanan Street in Glasgow and had failed to report to the prison.

The police were subsequently contacted and informed that Smyth was an absconder.

The depute fiscal added, “On Wednesday, July 23, officers at Springburn police office were requested to attend at a grassy area to the rear of a chapel in Elvira Road, Muirhead, to assist in the search for Smyth.”

Following a 20-minute search, officers found the accused hiding within hedgerows, she said.

Solicitor David Holmes told the court, “He should have returned to Castle Huntly on July 16.

“However, in prison he had started to owe money. The people to whom he owed money told him that he must bring something into the prison with him on his return.

“He was not willing to do this.”

The solicitor added, “Mr Smyth had no problem with drugs when he was younger, but he has since developed a problem with heroin. He wishes to end this habit.”

Sentencing Smyth, Sheriff Michael Fletcher said, “There is a very serious problem indeed with people absconding from Castle Huntly. The court is simply not able to tolerate that.

“You remained at large for some days and eventually had to be found and returned to custody.”

He sentenced Smyth to an additional six months’ imprisonment.

John Cartledge was sentenced to an additional six months’ imprisonment at Perth last week after he admitted absconding from Castle Huntly on July 16.

He spent less than 24 hours at large before handing himself in to the police.

And on Tuesday, Simon Lister (29), whose address was given as Noranside open prison, appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court to have four months added to his sentence after he admitted absconding from the jail near Forfar.