Jailbreak robber dies in custody

Robert Balmer was sentenced to six years in 2002

A robber who spent a fortnight on the run after escaping from an open prison has died, three days after he was taken back into custody.

The Scottish Prison Service said Robert Balmer, 23, was taken from Perth Prison to Perth Royal Infirmary on Friday.

He was transferred to Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, where he died.

While on the run, Balmer committed four robberies at knifepoint in the Dundee area. The prison service has not commented on how the convict died.

Balmer was jailed for six years in 2002 at the High Court in Glasgow after being found guilty of charges of assault, robbery and attempted robbery.

Four robberies

He had been serving his sentence at HM prison Greenock before being transferred to the open conditions at Castle Huntly earlier this year.

On Tuesday, Tayside Police issued an appeal to trace him, two weeks after his escape.

Balmer was linked to a string of armed robberies in Dundee between 2 and 8 August before his arrest on Wednesday, 10 August.

He appeared on petition at Dundee Sheriff Court on Thursday when Sheriff Ian Dunbar remanded him in custody to Perth Prison.

The petition alleged he carried out four offences of robbery and one of attempted robbery along with a charge of prison breaking.

An SPS spokeswoman said: "A fatal accident inquiry will be held in due course."