A CONVICTED murderer escaped from a prison near Reddditch and booked into a local hotel with a woman who was "smitten" by him, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Terry Lowe knifed a man to death in a pub fight in 2000 and was given a life sentence with a minimum period of ten years to serve.
But in May 2009 he was transferred to Hewell Prison, Tardebigge, said Paul Whitfield, prosecuting.

He then met 24-year-old Joanne Forbes three times outside the open prison before absconding on June 7 last year.
On the same day, she and Lowe went to the Holiday Inn in Redditch, where she had booked a room using her own credit card.
Forbes, of Shawbrook Road, Manchester, pleaded guilty to harbouring an escaped prisoner.

Judge Richard Rundell said it was a serious offence and jailed her for 16 months.
A relative in the public gallery shouted out "it's not fair, she's done nothing" as the defendant was led away.

Mr Whitfield said the couple - who had been corresponding while Lowe was in jail - were both arrested on August 10 last year inside a Manchester library.
Lowe, now back in jail for his escape bid, had told Forbes he was on home leave pending being given parole.

She had booked them into a Manchester hotel for three days using a false name and address.
Defence counsel Sharon Bailey said Forbes had no previous convictions, but was young, impressionable and "smitten by this man".

redditchstandard.co.uk