A 26-year-old man who escaped from police custody after asking to go to the toilet while he was being treated at Ipswich Hospital has had his sentence deferred until September.

Jacob Eastop had been arrested for shoplifting and was taken to the hospital by police officers who were concerned because he had been withdrawing from drugs, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

After asking to go to the toilet Eastop had run to the rear of the Accident and Emergency Department and had then run around the hospital for a short time before being apprehended.

He had subsequently become agitated and started spitting with some saliva landing on a police officer’s arm.

Eastop of no fixed address, admitted escaping from lawful custody and assaulting an emergency worker in August last year.

Recorder Richard Conley deferred sentence on Eastop until September 22 and told him that if he engaged with Turning Point and got a job, he would get a lenient sentence.

Charles Myatt for Eastop said his client hadn’t wanted to be at the hospital and had escaped after asking to go the toilet so that he would be taken back to the police station.

He said Eastop had achieved enhanced prisoner status and was now clean of drugs.

The court heard that Eastop was due to be released from custody immediately and had engaged with Turning Point in the hope of staying drug free on his release.