A MAN ran off from police and hid in woods near his home in Ludlow after he was arrested for burglary, a court heard.

John Richards had been traced by police after he stole a computer from Ludlow Assembly Rooms in the town in October this year.

The 39-year-old self-employed photographer had been hand-cuffed before he ran away shouting "see you" to the officers who gave chase, but lost him.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court this week Richards was given an eight month prison sentence, suspended for a year.

Judge Peter Barrie said that his brazen escape from lawful custody was a serious offence but he took into account that Richards had been in custody for the past six weeks.

He said he was aware that Richards had an implacable hostility towards the police because of a sense of injustice in the way he had been dealt with in the past.

The court heard that there was a history between Richards' family and the police in recent years which had been featured on a TV programme.

It's understood the judge was referring to Channel Five's Nightmare Neighbours from next door, when Mr Richards featured as the victim of a difficult neighbour.

At court yesterday Richards was also given 12 months supervision and must attend a rehabilitation programme and complete 100 hours unpaid work.

He had admitted offences of burglary, escaping custody and possession of cannabis at an earlier hearing.

Mr David Bennett, prosecuting, said that in October Richards had entered the Assembly Rooms in Mill Street, while it was open to the public.

He hid in the premises until it closed and later searched rooms and took a Samsung tablet and left by a fire escape.

Mr Bennett said that, unknown to the defendant, the machine was fitted with a tracker device and police traced it to Richards address at The Cliff Park at Dinham where he had hidden it in a garden shed.

It was as Richards was being arrested that he made his escape and spent two days in woods nearby before being found and when searched officers found he was in possession of small amount of cannabis.

Mr Kevin Saunders, for Richards, said his client's escape was unsophisticated and opportunist and it stemmed from his family's history with the police.