Prisoner James Whitlock admits Pentonville jail escape Published duration 19 December 2016

image copyright Metropolitan Police image caption James Whitlock has admitted breaking the bars on his cell window in order to escape

A man has admitted breaking out of a north London prison.

At Blackfriars Crown Court, James Whitlock, 31, pleaded guilty to escaping from HMP Pentonville on 7 November.

He removed the bars on his cell window and scaled the Victorian prison's perimeter wall.

The breakout is said to have gone undetected for several hours as pillows were used to stuff the beds making it look like he was asleep.

He was arrested six days later at an address in Homerton, east London.

Rope used during the escape was recovered, but whatever was used to cut the cell bars has not been.

Whitlock is due to be sentenced at a later date.

Matthew Baker, 28, has yet to enter a plea on a charge of escaping from the same prison. He is next due in court on 5 January.

His sister Kelly Baker, 21, of Friars Close, Ilford, east London, admitted one count of assisting an offender by buying him hair dye.