A WOODFORD man, who smuggled razor blades up his backside to launch a bungled escape bid has been jailed for six months.

Scott Gambier, 22, from the Orchard Estate in Woodford Green, attempted to escape from Redbridge Magistrates Court by attacking security guards with a home-made knife.

Gambier had been on his way to appear in court on a charge of burglary in May.

He put razor blades in a condom and smuggled them up his backside. He then made the knife while in the toilet by attaching the blades to a plastic spoon.

The escapee held the home-made knife to the throat of one of the security guard's throat and threatened to cut him if they did not release him.

He was released but then quickly captured a few minutes later by police near Barkingside police station.

The Old Bailey heard on Wednesday how Gambier then requested that police take him to hospital as he feared that he might have left a blade inside his body.

Gambier, who has a four-year-old daughter, pleaded guilty to escape and possession of an offensive weapon.

Judge Jeremy Roberts sentenced him to six months on each charge to run concurrently. These six months were added on to his original sentence for burglary.

July 11, 2002 10:30