Escaped Florida prison inmate planned on having 'romantic tryst'

Washington, Apr 3 (ANI): A man, who escaped from prison in Florida this week, has revealed that he had been planning on meeting up with a woman for a romantic rendezvous.

Michael Howarth, 41, had sneaked away from Lake Correctional Institution on March 30 while working at the prison's water-treatment plant, and was captured after a two-day manhunt, walking down a Florida highway about 15 miles from the prison.

"I planned on eventually setting up a rendezvous. The run up to highway 27 takes 10 minutes. Spend about 25 minutes with a girl. Come back," Fox News quoted him as saying.

Howarth has now been charged with escape and faces up to an additional 15 years if convicted.

He has served 17 years so far for burglary and grand theft and was scheduled for release in 2012, having earned an 8 1/2-year reduction for good behaviour, reports the Orlando Sentinel.

"After doing eighteen years in prison and having an additional 8 1/2 years loss for gain time, I'll have done 26 years. What will be another 15 at that point? I'll have done my life in prison," he said.

Howarth's mother, Pat Murphy, told the Sentinel that she had visited her son last June and he was tired of prison life.

"He had just had enough of being in prison," she said.

"He said, 'Mom, I'm so tired of being in here.' He's just worn out," she added. (ANI)