A PRISONER escaped from jail so he could deliver a Valentine's bouquet to his lover, a court heard yesterday.

Thug Stephen Lehane, 34, thought his wife would be upset if he failed to turn up on February 14, so he fled from Castle Huntly jail.

He waited until after Monday evening's head count then walked out of the low-security prison near Dundee.

Lehane stopped on his way to Glasgow to collect a bunch of flowers to hand over to her.

Warders noticed Lehane - serving six years for serious assault - was missing and alerted police across Scotland.

He was quickly tracked down to his partner's Glasgow home and arrested.

At Perth Sheriff Court yesterday, the jailbird's stunt cost him 20 extra days at the end of his current sentence.

He admitted perverting the course of justice by absconding from jail.

Robbie Brown, prosecuting, said: "The accused was seen on a routine check at 5pm on Monday. At 10pm, he was found to be missing."

Mr Brown said Lehane had earlier been caught with a mobile phone in the prison and was disciplined as a result. Prison chiefs withdrew home visits he had been planning to make before the end of his sentence.

David Holmes, defending, said: "He decided to go home on Monday to explain to his wife."