Bristol student 'takes in' escaped convict

A student has been describing the "intriguing evening" he spent with a homeless man who turned out to be an escaped convict.

Admi Headley, 34, who was serving a sentence for rape and robbery, absconded from HMP Leyhill in South Gloucestershire in November.

Tom Phillips told student paper Epigram, external that he found him collapsed in an alley and invited him home to recover.

The Bristol student then walked Headley to a police station to hand himself in.

The physics and philosophy student at the University of Bristol was on his way home from work when he saw Headley.

Mr Phillips said: "He looked a bit rough and I paused and watched him to make sure he was OK. He was quite drunk and I invited him for water."

Mr Phillips said after about an hour Headley admitted he had absconded from the open prison.

The student said: "My friends say I'm gullible and it could have been a prank but it turned out to be a very moving experience.

"Once he'd told me the conversation took a different turn; he cried and he spoke about drugs, corruption and the physicality of prison life.

"I asked him what he was in for and he said he'd been convicted of robbery and rape.

"I didn't feel frightened for a millisecond - he was very polite and very grateful for all that we had done.

"I gave him my phone and told him to ring anyone he'd like, he rang his son, it was amazing to witness the moment.

"He then said he should hand himself in and we agreed so we went to the police station."

Headley went missing from HMP Leyhill along with two other prisoners who have also since been apprehended.