Jailhouse Romeo who had behind bars fling with prison nurse and phone sex with guard is locked up after 'escaping from hospital and spending a week on the run'

Daily Mail​

06-05-2025

A lover boy who had a relationship with a prison guard and a nurse has been jailed after escaping from a hospital and going on the run for a week.
Harri Pullen, 27, had alleged romances with a prison officer and jail nurse during a four-year period.
After serving his time behind bars, he returned to the life of crime, and after being arrested, he was taken to hospital for checks where he escaped.
Hewas still wearing handcuffs when he made a run through the car park 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.
Former prison nurse Elyse Hobbs, 27, was previously jailed for her inappropriate relationship with Pullen when he was behind bars.
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 was cleared of criminality during a trial.
Newport Crown Court heard how Pullen had been roaming free for months when he was injured while resisting plain-clothed officers who had caught him dealing drugs on an e-bike, and he was taken to hospital for checks.
Prosecutor Alex Granville told the court 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 explained that while the drug dealer was at Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, Gwent, four women, family members, tried to visit him 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.
'After about 20 seconds of running, the officers were about 20 metres 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.'
When he was eventually found 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.
Ms Shmylo, pictured, described by her barrister as 'very pretty', told the court Pullen 'fixated' on her and forced her to take his calls
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 had had a brain tumour for approximately four years.
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.
He 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.'
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.
Shmylo told the jury she cried when Pullen tried to initiate phone sex.
Shmylo, of Treforest, Pontypridd was cleared of one charge of misconduct in a public office.
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 practice' 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.
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.