An escapee was "genuinely scared" people were trying to kill him before he gave in to "an almost biblical level of temptation" upon realising it was his partner ramming a prison car, a court has heard.
Four prison officers guarded the exits in the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday as Kane Quinn, 30, appeared for a sentence hearing after pleading guilty to a charge of escaping from lawful custody.
He has been behind bars continuously since 2015, save for a few hours he spent at large after his then-fiancee, Lila Rose Mary Walto, 29, chased a Toyota Camry belonging to ACT Corrective Services and crashed into it several times to set him loose in July last year.
Quinn was being driven to Canberra Hospital for a medical appointment when Walto, in a stolen car, chased the Camry across several suburbs before eventually freeing him in Kingston.
On Wednesday, his barrister, Stephen Robinson, told the court Quinn had honestly feared for his life and believed people were "after him" when the ramming attack began.
He said that, during the incident, a "frightened" Quinn had shouted at guards that "they're trying to kill me" and urged prison officers not to "give me the f--- over" to the assailant.
Mr Robinson also noted that, in one of two videos of the incident played to the court, Quinn had run away from the Jeep driven by Walto before turning around and getting in.
"[Quinn] had no idea of Ms Walto's plans," he said, adding that the prisoner had gone from fearing for his life one moment to hearing his girlfriend's voice calling out to him the next.
"He was presented with an almost biblical level of temptation," Mr Robinson said, arguing Quinn made a split-second decision to leave with Walto during a highly-charged situation.
"It was much less a prison break and much more a running away from a car crash, and then taking the opportunity to get in [the stolen Jeep] and get away."
The barrister also told the court there could not more of a stark contrast between the opportunism of Quinn and the planning, premeditation and violence exhibited by Walto.
He ultimately asked that Quinn be sentenced to about seven months in jail, arguing the term should start no later than January 9 next year.
The court heard Quinn would be behind bars until at least December 2024 in any event, with his current non-parole period due to expire that month.
Prosecutor Margaret Smith indicated Quinn's current total sentence, which he is serving in the ACT despite it relating to violent NSW offences, would not end until December 2029.
Ms Smith described the escape offence as a crime against the administration of justice.
While she accepted Quinn's escape had been opportunistic, Ms Smith said he had needed to evade a prison officer in order to make it to the Jeep.
Magistrate Louise Taylor noted Quinn had also made the decision to go on the run after getting into the car with Walto when he could have instead said: "What are you doing? Drive me to the nearest police station."
Ms Taylor indicated she would sentence Quinn, who was quickly recaptured at a Lyneham house after a major manhunt, on November 9.
Walto was previously jailed by the ACT Supreme Court for six years and eight months, with a non-parole period of two years and eight months, after she admitted nine charges.
