Derbyshire name-change prison absconder back behind bars

Dean Woods left the UK on a ferry using a passport in his new name

A convicted drugs gang member has been arrested in Germany months after absconding from an open prison.

Dean Woods, 41, left HMP Sudbury in Derbyshire on day release on 19 November but failed to return.

He managed to leave the country under a different name, having legally changed his name in prison without the knowledge of authorities, police said.

Woods has now been sent to a Category B prison to serve the remaining 10 years of his 12-year sentence.

'Relentless pursuit'

Derbyshire Police said Woods was arrested as he travelled from Dublin to Frankfurt Airport in Germany on 13 August.

No further charges were able to be brought against Woods due to the specific requirements of the arrest warrant as the UK offence of being unlawfully at large is not mirrored in Germany, officers confirmed.

Det Ch Supt Gemma Booth said: "Dean Woods made a concerted effort to not only leave the UK in order to escape serving the jail time he had been given for very serious offences - but to also remain free through a variety of criminal means.

"I want to pay particular thanks to the determination of detectives from within our International Liaison Office who relentlessly pursued Woods.

"Despite his best efforts, I am pleased to report that this he is now safely detained."