A former prison officer who befriended a convicted killer and assisted him in escaping an open prison has been spared jail time.
Jane Archer met her non-relative Stephen Archer at the entrance of the open jail HMP Sudbury, and then drove him back to her residence, as the court heard.
Although they were not married, she had adopted his surname, and it is believed that their connection began after she left the jail system.
At the 55-year-sentencing old’s hearing, it was revealed that the next day she transported him to the Folkestone and Dover region, where he remained hidden for several days.
Archer afterwards returned to the South East coast and picked him up when he requested her assistance.
But when she drove up the M6 toward Manchester, she and her companion were halted by police and imprisoned.
Former prison guard Jane Archer forged a friendship with convicted killer Stephen Archer – no relation – and assisted him in escaping jail before bringing him to her home.
In her police interview, the defendant stated that the plot to flee Derbyshire had “nothing to do with her,” which the judge deemed a “cock and bull story.”
Jane Archer was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, by Judge Shaun Smith KC, who stated: ‘As a prison official, you had a relationship with Stephen Archer, who was serving a life sentence for murder.
“The relationship lasted a long time, but in May of 2019 he left Sudbury, and you know why because you drove to pick him up.
“He was at large for a number of days during which you were involved, and then you lied to the police about it.”
“It is a major offense to assist a prisoner in evading capture in any manner.
“It is more severe in your case since you worked in the criminal justice system and knew how it operated.
“He was incarcerated for murder, and you were aware of the system. You drove him to Dover and picked him up when he wanted to return, so I don’t believe you didn’t know there was a plan.
Stephen Archer was sentenced to life in prison for murder in 1995 and met Jane at HMP Ranby.
Mark Achurch, the prosecutor, stated that Stephen Archer was sentenced to life in prison for murder in 1995 and met the defendant, who was a prison official at HMP Ranby at the time.
According to him, they did not begin dating until she left the prison service, but they were together for 14 years and she changed her surname to his despite not being married.
On the day of the escape, May 15, 2019, according to the prosecutor, Stephen Archer exited the front gates of HMP Sudbury and was greeted by the defendant, who drove him to her home in the Rotherham area, where he spent the night.
Mr. Achurch reported that the next day, she drove him to Folkestone, where they remained the night at the Premier Inn.
He stated, “They went to an Argos store, where she bought him a mobile phone, before abandoning him there and returning to Rotherham.”
In 2019, the couple devised a plan to break Stephen out of HMP Sudbury and escaped to Jane’s residence.
The automobile was stopped on the M6 in Cheshire nine days later.
Mr. Archer received a four-month prison sentence and was returned to a category B facility (Sudbury is an open facility of category D).
Jane Archer, a resident of Maltby, close to Rotherham, pleaded guilty to aiding a fugitive from legal custody. She has no prior convictions.
Judge Smith ordered her to perform 200 hours of unpaid labor and attend 20 rehabilitation sessions with the probation department as part of the suspended sentence.
Chris Brewin, mitigating circumstances, stated that his client ‘felt misled and emotionally coerced’ into participating in the scheme to assist in her partner’s release from prison.
He stated, “She maintains the intention was to drive him to the Manchester region, where he intended to turn himself in with the hope of being sent to a prison near to his family’s hometown.”
She has reached rock bottom and deeply regrets her actions.
It was not stated in court whether or not the couple is still together.