A CROOK who went on the run to avoid jail has been caught, sentenced and jailed.

Oliver Simons absconded from court but was convicted of affray for his part in a catalogue of horrendous treatment of a woman in Colchester.

He was caught in Colchester on Thursday after more than four months at large.

The 22-year-old, of Hickory Avenue, Colchester, had been cleared of kidnap and possession of a machete following a trial at Ipswich Court Court in September and October last year.

On Friday he was jailed for a year for affray and 12 weeks for breaching his bail by fleeing.

In October 2015 a woman was kidnapped by 29-year-old Michael Ferrie, of Layer Marney.

He assaulted her repeatedly, pulled a knife on her and was convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, kidnap, making a threat to kill, affray and possession of a meat cleaver.

He was cleared of attempted rape and sexual assault and jailed for seven years in November.

During the trial the jury heard the mother had gone to see Ferrie to buy drugs but instead was driven around and attacked during a two day ordeal.

She was terrorised for hours and dumped in Distillery Lane, Colchester the next day.

That night she was terrorised again and police were called.

Ferrie was the ringleader but the jury agreed Simons was involved when they convicted him of affray.

During the trial Nicola May, prosecuting, told the jury it was during the early hours of October 18 when the victim went to buy a bag of cannabis from Ferrie.

She told the court the woman got into the back of Ferrie’s rented Jaguar in Magnolia Drive, Greenstead before being driven away against her will.

Once she was released the ordeal was not over.

Ferrie and Simons were accused of going to her home with another man, armed with weapons.

It is claimed Ferrie threatened to attack her and her children before throwing a brick through the conservatory window and trying to get in.