A Bristol woman has been jailed for helping convicted murderer Brian Grady escape from HMP Prescoed in January.

34-year-old Leanne Holt, the cousin of Grady, appeared in Cardiff Crown Court last Friday (15th February) to be sentenced after pleading guilty to 'assisting an offender to escape from prison'.

Holt avoided the maximum 10-year penalty, being sentenced to 12 months in prison, reduced by one third to eight months for her early admission of guilt.

The defendant had been in police custody since the night of the escape, 14th January, when security guards claim that a man was seen running away from the prison, towards the road at almost midnight. Due to the poor quality of CCTV footage at the jail, it was not until a head-count had been taken that the identity of the escapee was discovered. Police were informed over an hour later at 1.10am and a search was launched.

Police used the CCTV in the centre of Usk to identify Holt, having searched footage for any cars linked to Grady or his family.

The defendant's blue Peugeot was seen on Usk high street that night and tracked back to its owner.

Representing the prosecution was Barrister Julian Greenwood, who told the court how Holt claimed that she attended the prison after answering the door in her Bradley Stoke home late at night, to an unknown man with a telephone on which Grady was speaking. He allegedly gave Holt instructions to pick him up from the prison, and take him to a friend's house in Bristol, because his home visits had begun early.

The court heard how: "Leanne was hesitant but agreed, waiting at a bridge some way away from the prison gates, claiming she thought this was the entrance, despite having visited the site before."

The back door apparently opened and Grady got into the back of the car, lying down and going to sleep. Mr Greenwood took this opportunity to raise the questions of why Holt did not find it strange that she did not know that man with the phone, why Grady would be released for his first home visit so late at night and why he got into the back of the car.

Police also tested Holt's phone to contradict her claims that she had spoken to no-one on the journey, finding outgoing calls in her records, which police suspect were to Grady.

In 2003, at the age of 17, Grady was sentenced to 11 years for robbery and the murder of 25-year-old Liam Attwell in Bristol. He was due to be considered for parole in October.

Despite being classed as 'medium risk' to the public, Grady was housed at the low risk open Prescoed Prison and was due to start his home visits at the end of January, a date Holt was allegedly aware of.

After his escape, Grady was on the run for 21 days, finally being caught by police in Bristol on 4th February.

Holt was described by defence barrister Caroline Downs as "naive and stupid" and told the court how Holt has a 15-year-old son who is reliant on her, as well as a job as a carer. Downs pleaded with Recorder Huw Rees to consider a community punishment: "She totally appreciates and accepts her misjudgments and fully acknowledges how very wrong her actions were".

Recorder Rees told Mr Greenwood: "She drove all the way to from Bristol to Usk to fulfill her instructions, that is not naivity."

He went on to address Holt: "You were careful and devious enough to drive to the prison and not approach the prison gates.

"You put an enormous pressure on the police and caused trauma to the victim's family.

"For the assistance you gave I have to look to a prison sentence for you. You are clearly of a caring and compassionate character but I have a community responsibility to take into account."

Grady is due to appear at Newport Crown Court on 8th March.

Pictured is Grady in 2003 and Cardiff Crown Court