'Loverboy' prisoner finally back behind bars after double affair and week on the run
Loverboy prisoner Harri Pullen has been put back behind bars following an escape from hospital, just months after he served time for relationships with two prison staff (Image: SWNS)
A loverboy prisoner who had flings with two prison staff spent a week on the run after escaping in handcuffs from hospital - and has now been put back behind bars.
Gang member Harri Pullen, 27, had alleged romances with a prison officer and jail nurse during a four-year stretch.
He was freed after serving his time behind bars but returned to his life of crime - and has now been jailed for a further six years.
Harri Pullen is back behind bars (Image: Wales News Service) Former prison nurse Elyse Hibbs, 27, was previously jailed for her inappropriate relationship with Pullen when he was behind bars.
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Ruth Shmylo, 26, was sacked from her job as a prison officer over the alleged romance with Pullen after he called her for phone sex from his cell but cleared of criminality during a trial.
A court heard Pullen had been free for a matter of months when he was injured resisting officers who caught him drug-dealing on an e-bike and he was taken to hospital for checks.
Pullen was injured resisting officers during his arrest (Image: Wales News Service) Pullen was still wearing handcuffs when he made a run through the carpark and ambulance bays of the hospital in Cwmbran, Gwent, and jumped into a "getaway car" to flee.
He then spent a week at large and was eventually discovered hiding in a countryside farmhouse outside Newport.
Pullen had been arrested after plain-clothed cops saw two men acting suspiciously riding an e-bike through Newport city centre.
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Pullen was taken to hospital, where he later escaped (Image: Wales News Service) Prosecutor Alex Granville said Pullen was found with five wraps of crack cocaine, a burner phone, an iPhone and £90 inside a black bum bag.
He said: "The defendant was conveyed to custody but after complaining of head pain he was transported by police for medical care."
Mr Granville said that while at Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, Gwent, four women family members tried to visit Pullen but were told they were "unable to stay."
He added: "Having been taken out to the van he asked to use the toilet so was taken back inside. Upon having used the toilet and exiting the building the defendant ran off from officers.
"They proceeded to run after the defendant. He ran through the car park and ambulance park, down the ramp and towards the exit of the hospital.
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"After about 20 seconds of running the officers were about 20 meters behind the defendant who was still in handcuffs in a front position.
"At this point a vehicle appeared to reverse up the ramp from the exit of the hospital, the passenger door was opened and the defendant got in and it left at high speed."
Newport Crown Court heard that when Pullen was eventually discovered at a farm he tried to flee again - this time driving off in a Mercedes but police followed the car to a cul-de-sac.
Pullen tried to flee on foot but was "red-dotted" with a taser and "eventually complied" when a police dog joined the hunt.
Julia Cox, defending, said Pullen was "immature" and suffered from "hypochondria" believing that he has had a brain tumour for approximately four years.
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She added: "This was not anything that was pre-planned. It was more opportunistic than that."
"It was upon his family's attendance at the hospital he in his words 'lost his head'."
Pullen pleaded guilty to 11 charges including possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, dangerous driving, and escaping lawful custody.
Pullen appeared via videolink from Cardiff Prison and played with his hair and chatted with prison officers throughout the hearing.
Judge Daniel Williams jailed Pullen, of no fixed abode, for a total of six years
He told him: "Police saw you on an electric bike with another in the centre of Newport on March 26.
"You were riding the bike and in possession of crack cocaine, some five wraps, as well as a quantity of cash and two phones, one of which was a burner phone.
"In custody you complained of head pain so you were taken to Grange Hospital where when you were walking to the police van having left hospital you made off.
"You got into what's best described as a getaway car and spent seven days at large.
"You were ultimately arrested on the 2nd April but not before you involved yourself in a police chase of sorts."
At the end of the hearing Pullen said: "Thank you and I apologise."
Ruth Shmylo (Image: Wales News Service) During Shmylo's trial in December 2023 the court heard Pullen had been moved to HMP Manchester - also known as Strangeways - and added her to his approved calls list but their conversations were recorded by officials.
The calls, played to the court, included Pullen repeatedly telling her "I love you."
She was sacked from her job after other complaints involving "flirtatious" behaviour with inmates and wearing "skin-tight trousers" to work.
But the court heard she had previously made corruption reports of her own against other staff who were colluding with inmates to tamper with prisoner's food.
Claire Wilks, defending, said Shmylo should have been treated as a whistleblower but was instead "hung out to dry" by bosses at the controversial HMP Parc and called "a grass" by her colleagues and assaulted.
Ms Wilks said it was no surprise that given her previous treatment at the jail she wouldn't report phone calls with Pullen as she feared the consequences.
Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe told the court that after being arrested Shmylo admitted she had phone sex with Pullen.
Mr Cobbe said: "She conceded during the course of her interview that she had had phone sex with the inmate.
"She explained this was principally the inmate saying things to her, noting that 'I was listening for the best part of it'.
"That means she was actively engaging in phone sex with the inmate - or some of it."
Shmylo told the jury she cried when Pullen tried to initiate phone sex.
Ms Wilks asked her: "Did you have any sexual arousal from the phone calls?"
Shmylo answered: "No. The first time when I came to be aware Harri was masturbating I asked him to stop. I repeatedly asked him to stop and I cried.
"It made him really angry and his exact words were: 'You're making out like I'm kind of nonce.
"It was like I had insulted him because I was crying and I was repeatedly saying: 'I'm not doing this I'm not doing this.'"
Shmylo, of Treforest, Pontypridd was cleared of one charge of misconduct in a public office.
Elyse Hibbs (Image: Wales News Service)
Nurse Hibbs claimed she was "pressurised" into flirting with Pullen - but a judge sent her to prison for six months.
After being released Hibbs was taken to disciplinary hearing by the Nursing Midwifery Council to decide if she was fit to carrying on her career.
The hearing found that her "fitness to practise" was impaired by her conviction, and she was handed a 12 months suspension order.
This means that she may practice nursing again once the 12 months order is lifted to carry on her career.
Qualified health worker Hibbs met the prisoner while giving him medical treatment in her jail and he contacted her on Instagram.
Mr Cobbe said: "The calls between them were flirtatious. They talk about the prison, staff within the prison, he tells her that he loves her and she tells him he doesn't know her to love her.
"He tells her that he loves her and she tells him that she loves him too. The calls included references to the defendant's existing partner and the inmate continuously suggested he would replace him and be in a relationship with her."
Cardiff Crown Court heard the two swapped messages on Instagram by contacting each other through an account held by the inmate's friend.
Hibbs quit her post at HMP Parc in July 2021 and was arrested a week later and admitted exchanging messages with Pullen.
She told police she was scared to end the contact after he had previously threatened her.
Mr Cobbe said: "She explained that she and the inmate were never in a sexual relationship of any kind at all.
"She accepted she should have reported the matter but that she got in too deep and couldn't get out."
Hibbs, of Newbridge, Gwent, admitted misconduct in a public office.
Adam Sharp, defending Hibbs, said the prisoner was known within the system to be a "particularly manipulative individual".
He said: "She was young, impressionable, inexperienced and vulnerable to the malign influence of the inmate who sought to exploit her."
Mr Sharp said Hibbs had "dedicated a significant part of her adult life" to nursing but her conviction meant she would be banned from the profession.
Recorder of Cardiff Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, told Hibbs: "You knew what you were doing was wrong, you had training but nevertheless you went ahead and formed what was clearly an emotional relationship with this prisoner.
"Although you were young you held a position of responsibility as a nurse and as a member of prison staff. You failed to report initial contact despite advice from a colleague and training you had had.
"You engaged in flirtatious relationship initially, you failed to report the on-going contact and you failed to report that this inmate had upon him and in custody an unlawful device."
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