THE law his finally caught up with a father of two who escaped from an open prison four and a half years ago.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Lee Knowles, 25, walked out of Kirkham Open Prison in June 1999 but was not arrested by police until December 3 this year.

Knowles, who had been serving a 15-month term of youth deception, must now finish the rest of his sentence.

He was given an extra 14 days behind bars on top by Judge Christopher Cornwall, who said he had not been in trouble since and had supported his family by working.

The defendant, of Blackburn Road, Oswaldtwistle, had admitted escape.

Kendal Lindley, prosecuting, told the court Knowles, who would previously have been dealt with by the prison authorities, would now serve his sentence at an adult prison.

Since he escaped, he had kept out of trouble "for obvious reasons."

John Greenwood, defending, said Knowles and his wife were expecting their third child. He had been constantly looking over his shoulder for four and a half years and had become depressed.

He had worked and kept his nose clean. The defendant had found it very difficult to cope in custody and knew he would now have to serve the rest of his sentence in other than an open prison.

Mr Greenwood went on: "It was a great weight off his shoulders when he was arrested."