Wallsend man who helped escaped prisoner out of ‘misplaced loyalty’ avoids joining him behind bars

Anthony Wray, of Wallsend, was good friends with escaped robber Craig Inskip’s dad before he took his own life.

A dad who helped his late friend’s son out of “misplaced loyalty” when he escaped from prison has avoided joining him behind bars.

Craig Inskip was serving a sentence for robbery when he fled from custody during a hospital visit. Ten days later he was found at Anthony Wray’s home, hiding at the bottom of a bed.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Wray was good friends with Inskip’s dad, his former employer, who killed himself ten years ago. He pleaded guilty to assisting an offender on the basis he let Inskip use his phone and that he had only been at his home for a short time when police turned up.

Inskip had been serving an indeterminate sentence for a knifepoint robbery, at HMP Kirklevington, an open prison in Yarm, when he escaped during a hospital appointment on October 6 2021.

He remained at large until police were contacted on October 16. Jane Foley, prosecuting, said: “They received a report Inskip might be at this defendant’s address.

“On arrival at the property they spoke to Mr Wray. He told officers Inskip was upstairs, however that was after initially telling police he had left minutes before they arrived.

“Officers searched the property and discovered Inskip hiding at the foot of a double bed.” A set of keys were found on him for a neighbouring property, which was occupied by one of his relatives.

Wray told officers Inskip had turned up ten minutes before the police arrived and admitted allowing him to use his phone. Wray pleaded guilty to assistaing an offender on the basis he was aware Inskip was unlawfully at large but he denied providing him refuge, saying he was staying at a family member’s home.

The 56-year-old, of Rutherford Street, Wallsend, has 29 previous convictions but has not been in trouble since 2000. He was sentenced to nine weeks suspended for 12 months with a three-month electronically monitored curfew, a £500 fine and £100 costs. The court heard Inskip was jailed for ten months for the escape.