Escaped prisoner slashed drinker with knife outside Leeds pub

Steven Wagstaff prised open a ground floor window and fled from the category D prison, HMP Hatfield near Doncaster, in January last year. He had been serving an indeterminate-length sentence he received in 2007 for robbery.

While at large, he became involved in a dispute at The White Horse pub in Osmondthorpe on the evening of April 22 and was caught on CCTV confronting a man outside the pub.

He was seen to slash at the man, who then tried to run off but was pursued by Wagstaff who slashed at him again, before the defendant returned to the York Road pub. Police identified him from still photographs taken from the footage.

The blood-smeared knife was later found in a recycling bin in the pub car park, which contained DNA from the victim and from Wagstaff.

The victim suffered knife injuries to his neck, forearm and hand. He attended St James’ Hospital with nerve damage to his hand, and two damaged tendons.

Prosecutor Chloe Hudson told Leeds Crown Court that on May 3 an officer pulled over a VW Golf and Wagstaff fled from the vehicle on foot. The officer chased him and Wagstaff climbed onto a shed, where he kicked the officer’s hand when he tried to grab at his legs.

Continuing the chase through a garden, he then spat in the officer’s face and the pair grappled on the floor before Wagstaff headbutted the officer and punched him to the face. The officer was able to strike him twice with his police baton, but was unable to use his PAVA spray on him.

Wagstaff was eventually arrested and gave no comments during his police interview.

The court heard that the 34-year-old has previous convictions for violence, affray, as well as robbery. He had escaped from custody twice before in 2007 and 2012.

Appearing in court via video link from HMP Leeds, he admitted escaping from custody, GBH with intent, having a bladed article and a charge of ABH relating to the police officer.

Mitigating, Nicholas Hammond said father-of-two Wagstaff had “no excuse” for his behaviour, but had fled the prison because he was “desperate for an end date” to his indeterminate prison sentence.

He pointed out that he was only in a low-security category D prison, so the parole board must have had some element of trust placed on him.

Judge Simon Batiste told Wagstaff: “You have spent most of your adult life in custody. The sadness of this escape is that the parole board were supportive of your imminent release, but this will put it back, I anticipate, by a number of years. This is your third escape.”

He jailed him for seven years and four months in total, and told him that his release will only take place once the parole board determines that he is no longer a risk to the public.