A convicted member of a drugs gang has been arrested in Germany after escaping from HMP Sudbury, an open prison in the Derbyshire Dales.

Dean Woods, 41, had absconded from the prison on Saturday, November 19, 2022, during a day release. When he failed to return, prison staff raised the alarm, prompting Derbyshire police officers to begin the search for his whereabouts.

Unbeknownst to authorities, Woods had already left Liverpool using a passport under the alias “Simon Corner.” He had legally changed his name while in prison, further complicating efforts to locate him.

After months of relentless work, including securing an International Arrest Warrant that authorised his detention in any European country, Woods was finally apprehended while traveling from Dublin to Frankfurt Airport in Germany on August 13. He was subsequently sent back to the UK on Monday, September 4.

Woods has now been returned to a Category B prison to serve the remaining 10 years of his 12-year prison sentence. Despite his escape and international journey, no further charges could be brought against him due to the specific requirements of the arrest warrant. The UK offence of being unlawfully at large does not have an equivalent in Germany, preventing his return to face charges related to that specific offence.

Detective Chief Superintendent Gemma Booth commended the dedication of detectives from the International Liaison Office who worked relentlessly to locate and apprehend Woods. She stated, “Dean Woods made a concerted effort to not only leave the UK to escape serving the jail time he had been given for very serious offences but also to remain free through a variety of criminal means. Despite his best efforts, I am pleased to report that he is now safely detained.”