A convicted murderer serving a life sentence escaped because he could not cope with being in an open prison, a court heard.

Anthony Hogan fled from HMP Standford Hill on Sheppey a day after he was attacked in his cell by two other inmates with pillow cases over their heads who accused him of being a grass.

The 51-year-old was at large for just over two months before he was caught in the capital and then sent to secure Pentonville prison in north London.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Hogan was jailed for life in October 1987, with a minimum of 12 years, but had so far been in custody for 27 years.

The victim Lawrence Oscislawski had moved in with Hogan's girlfriend and child while he was in jail in 1983.

When released, Hogan began a relationship with another woman and had two children.

But after a drinking session at Hogan's parents' home in South Lambeth in November 1986, he stabbed 25-year-old Mr Oscislawski eight times and kicked him in the head.

Prosecutor Dennis Kavanagh said Hogan failed to attend a roll call at category D Standford Hill, in Eastchurch, on January 2 this year.

Police found him in a distressed state near a supermarket in Islington, north London, on March 4. He admitted escape.

Dominic Connolly, defending, said it was a difficult and complex case. Hogan was due before the parole board on December 9 to consider his release.

But if his sentence was added to for the latest offence, there was a possibility he would be transferred to a category C prison from category B Pentonville.

Mr Connolly said Hogan suffered from mental problems and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, which was exacerbated by being in prison.

He said he had frontal lobe damage from being hit on the head by a claw hammer several years ago.

"He is intelligent and articulate. He has difficulty with coping with an open prison environment..." - Dominic Connolly, defending

"When out of the prison environment he is a different man," said Mr Connolly. "He is intelligent and articulate. He has difficulty with coping with an open prison environment.

"It is wholly inappropriate for him because he feels vulnerable and unsafe in a situation where inmates are free to roam.

"Returning him to an open environment is really setting him up to fail.

"To an extent it may be he is in a Catch 22 situation. He is unsuitable for an open prison."

Mr Connolly said Hogan had been sent to Standford Hill in December last year against his wishes and the recommendation of a psychologist.

"This offence will have a significant effect on what happens to him in the future," he said. "I submit he should not be deprived of a chance towards rehabilitation.

"There is no material to indicate he is a risk to the public. The parole board will be in a better position to make a judgement in that regard."

Judge Philip Statman told Hogan, who appeared by video link from Pentonville, there had to be immediate custody to act as a deterrence to others tempted to walk out of open prisons.

Describing it as "a highly unusual case", he added: "You feared in open conditions you would be insecure, so you decided to remain at large. You are a highly intelligent man. It is a very real problem I face today."

But the judge said he believed the appropriate sentence was six months imprisonment, which will be served concurrently to the life sentence.