Lawyers for a man who escaped from Canberra's jail last year have told the ACT Supreme Court he is to be a father, after making his girlfriend pregnant during his eight days on the run last year.

Jacob MacDonald, 21, and Patrick McCurley, 28, were the first prisoners to escape from the jail since in opened in 2008.

Both men were remanded in the centre — MacDonald for a range of alleged property and burglary offences, and McCurley for alleged motor vehicle offences.

Court documents have shown that late in the evening of September 2, they used items from a building site within the jail as a makeshift ladder to climb the fence.

The pair's escape was not noticed for hours.

McCurley was soon arrested after dramatic police chase and has already been sentenced to 18 months jail for the escape.

But MacDonald was free for eight days before he was caught.

Today, his lawyer James Sabharwal asked the court to take into account his remorse and his long history of drug problems.

Mr Sabharwal said: "It's apparent he's been exposed to illicit substances since childhood."

"He began using drugs when he was 14."

Mr Sabharwal told the court MacDonald seemed to have a lot of support in dealing with his drug problems in the jail.

He said MacDonald's child was due in May, suggesting conception occurred at the time he was free.

Prosecutor Phoebe Burgoyne-Scutts urged the court to view the crime as serious.

"He's shown a clear defiance of the consequences of his actions," she said.

Justice John Burns will sentence MacDonald for the escape and several other charges, including stealing more than $5,000 in cigarettes, later this month.