A FUGITIVE from Sudbury prison who ended up in Spain has had a year added to his jail term.

Mark McKenna walked out of the open prison in 2008 and was not recaptured until last December, when he booked into a hotel in Madrid with his new partner.

Derby Crown Court heard that a European arrest warrant had been issued for McKenna, who should have been serving a 12-year prison sentence for conspiring to supply drugs in Liverpool.

At the time of his escape, he had two years and three months still to serve.

Judge Abbas Mithani told McKenna he would have to serve that time with another year on top.

He told the 41-year-old: "This is a very serious offence. It undermines the proper and efficient enforcement of the criminal justice system in the country.

"Your representative says you were glad of the European arrest warrant and when you were apprehended. But the fact is, you did not give yourself up to the authorities.

"That is something which I must take into account."

Sarah Slater, prosecuting, said McKenna was initially given a 16-year jail sentence. He lodged an appeal and it was reduced to 12 years. He was at Dovegate Prison and was moved to Sudbury on May 8, 2008.

"A month later, on June 14, they discovered that he had escaped," Miss Slater said.

"At that time he had been due for release on September 25, 2010."

By April 2009, police inquiries had widened to Europe and McKenna was thought to be in the Netherlands.

"They tried to arrest him there but that was not successful. On December 28, they discovered he was in a hotel in Madrid and he was arrested.

"He said he was happy to be arrested and was fed up with a life on the run."

Brian Jackson, in mitigation, said McKenna used to be visited in jail by his partner and two children.

The family were brought to the visits by McKenna's best friend and Mr Jackson said: "He started to suspect a relationship between his partner and the person bringing her to prison. When he was released to the open prison, he was not getting visits."

But McKenna was due to be allowed on home visits six weeks after he escaped.

Mr Jackson said: "He left the prison and went back to Liverpool to try to find out what was going on. He tried to repair the relationship and stayed for a month until he found the relationship had broken down.

"He had been adrift for a fair period of time and didn't feel able to go back to the prison."

He said McKenna went to Spain where he found work and a new girlfriend.

"He has led a useful life and co-operated with his arrest," said Mr Jackson, who described McKenna as an "exemplary prisoner".