A violent convict who nearly stabbed a Tayside man to death fled an open prison claiming staff were bullying him.
Dennis Adams had been sentenced to six years imprisonment in February 2009 after being convicted of a brutal assault and robbery.
The 29-year-old had lured Arbroath man Gareth Harris into a lane in Aberdeen after being approached about selling drugs.
He then attacked his victim, plunging a knife into his chest, resulting in Mr Harris losing a third of his blood. A consultant said he would have died without prompt medical attention.
The attack came just nine days after Adams was freed after serving half of a 16-month sentence for assault and robbery. The Aberdeen man was preparing for another early release when he failed to return to Castle Huntly.
He had been transferred to the open prison at Longforgan last October and just five months later he abused the trust of staff who had granted him home leave.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how he was due to be picked up on February 24 but failed to appear at the arranged meeting point.
Within hours police forces across the country had issued a release urging people to come forward with Adams’ whereabouts.
Solicitor Pauline Cullerton said her client was due for release in August and had been transferred to Castle Huntly in preparation.
“He tells me that since he was moved there, he felt that he was being bullied by staff,” she said.
“He felt they were constantly trying to undermine him in front of other prisoners and staff and that they were always having a go at him,” the solicitor said.
“As a result of that he took the wrong decision not to return to home base.”
Adams was picked up just two days after he disappeared and the court heard he was now serving the remainder of his sentence in Perth Prison, a high security facility.
Describing the offence as “very serious”, Sheriff John Halley said: “You had been moved to the open prison at Castle Huntly.
“No doubt that was a reflection of some trust being placed in you. Further trust was placed in you in February when you were temporarily released on the condition that you present yourself in order to be taken back to prison.
“You didn’t do that for the reasons I’ve been told about and I am obligated to treat this matter very seriously indeed.”
He imposed a prison sentence of eight months, which will be served once Adams’ current term has expired.
Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont described the incident as a “mockery” of the justice system
He said: “The SNP has twice promised to end automatic early release but still the practice is alive and well across Scotland.
“Letting serious criminals free after only half a sentence is an insult to victims, and provides nothing like enough time for rehabilitation.
“It also makes a mockery of the original sentence handed down, and all these factors can be seen in this instance.
“With cases like this it is no wonder the people of Scotland are concerned at the SNP’s soft-touch approach on justice.”