A PRISONER who gave himself up after more than two weeks on the run is to be returned to a more secure unit, prison chiefs have revealed.

Burglar Lee Holden, of Vernon Street, Darwen, handed himself in to staff at a Preston prison on Monday night after absconding from Sudbury Prison, near Ashbourne, in Derbyshire on July 8.

Holden, who already has 12 convictions for burglary, was part way through serving an 18-month sentence for the offence when he was reported missing at the prison's 12.45pm roll check.

Police in Darwen were constantly on the lookout for Holden and had one positive sighting of him when he was caught walking in Atlas Road, Olive Lane, Darwen, just six streets away from his home address.

Today prison chiefs said he would not be returned to the unit from which he escaped as he could not be trusted not to escape again.

A spokesperson for the Prison Service said: "The offender is now in custody after giving himself up at a Preston prison.

"He will now be returned to a prison with closed conditions which is what happens when people abscond from open conditions.

"This prisoner had been judged to be suitable for open prison which is the last stage before they start resettlement into the wider community. It is very unfortunate when people abuse that trust.

"He was a category D prisoner which is the lowest category and judged not to be a danger to the public.

"He was trusted not to walk out of prison without coming back but he has shown we can not trust him." so he will be returned to somewhere where he has not got as much freedom."

"Quite often prisoners will be found or give themselves up very quickly, but it is has been known for people to abscond and be found many years later. It depends on how strong their roots are in other areas.

"Prisoners often go to places where they have family and friends. People with no next of kin can be much harder to trace."