Prison 'Loverboy' Who 'Had Romance With Two Prison Workers' Caught After Dramatic Escape and Drug Deal

A 27-year-old drug dealer named Harri Pullen, who fancied himself a bit of a prison Romeo, has been sentenced to an additional six years behind bars after a dramatic escape from a hospital. Pullen, who had been serving a four-year sentence, reportedly had romantic flings with two female prison staff members while incarcerated.

Pullen's escapades included relationships with Ruth Shmylo, a 26-year-old prison officer, and Elyse Hibbs, a 27-year-old nurse. After completing his initial sentence, he quickly returned to his old ways, leading to his latest run-in with the law.

Hibbs had previously faced jail time for her inappropriate relationship with Pullen, while Shmylo was dismissed from her position after it was revealed that Pullen had called her for phone sex from his cell. However, she was later cleared of any criminal wrongdoing during a trial.

The trouble began when Pullen was caught drug-dealing on an e-bike shortly after his release. When officers attempted to apprehend him, he resisted and sustained injuries, prompting his transport to Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, Gwent, for medical evaluation. Still in handcuffs, Pullen seized the opportunity to make a break for it, sprinting through the hospital's car park and jumping into what can only be described as a “getaway car.”

After a week on the run, Pullen was finally located hiding out in a farmhouse near Newport. His capture came after plain-clothed officers spotted him and another man acting suspiciously while riding an e-bike through the city center.

During the arrest, Pullen was found with five wraps of crack cocaine, a burner phone, an iPhone, and £90 cash stashed in a black bum bag. Prosecutor Alex Granville detailed how Pullen had complained of head pain while in custody, leading to his hospital visit. While there, four family members attempted to visit him but were denied entry.

Granville recounted the escape: “After being taken out to the van, he asked to use the toilet and was escorted back inside. Upon exiting, he made a run for it.” Officers pursued him, but he managed to evade capture by jumping into a vehicle that sped away.

When Pullen was eventually tracked down at the farmhouse, he attempted to flee again, this time in a Mercedes. However, police were hot on his trail and cornered him in a cul-de-sac. Pullen tried to escape on foot but was subdued with a taser and eventually surrendered when a police dog joined the chase.

In court, Pullen's defense attorney, Julia Cox, described him as “immature” and suffering from “hypochondria,” claiming he believed he had a brain tumor for the past four years. She argued that his escape was not premeditated but rather an impulsive decision made during his family's visit to the hospital.

Pullen pleaded guilty to 11 charges, including possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, dangerous driving, and escaping lawful custody. Appearing via videolink from Cardiff Prison, he was seen playing with his hair and chatting with prison officers throughout the hearing.

Judge Daniel Williams sentenced Pullen to a total of six years, emphasizing the seriousness of his actions. “You were seen on an electric bike with another individual in Newport, in possession of crack cocaine and cash,” the judge stated. “After your escape from the hospital, you spent seven days at large, during which you engaged in a police chase.”

At the conclusion of the hearing, Pullen expressed his remorse, saying, “Thank you and I apologize.” His story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of poor choices and the lengths some will go to evade the law.