Prison escapee who got girlfriend pregnant while on the run sentenced to jail.

By Elizabeth Byrne.

A Canberra man who made a daring escape from Canberra’s prison last year has been sentenced to 15 months jail for the crime.

Jacob MacDonald, 21, and Patrick McCurley, 28, were the first prisoners to ever escape from the Alexander Maconochie Centre, which opened in 2008.

Both men were remanded in the centre — MacDonald for a range of alleged property and burglary offences, and McCurley for alleged motor vehicle offences.

MacDonald got his girlfriend pregnant during his eight days on the run.

Court documents have shown that late in the evening of September 2, the pair used items from a building site within the jail as a makeshift ladder to climb the fence.

The pair’s escape was not noticed for hours.

McCurley, who was caught soon after following a dramatic police chase, was recently sentenced to 18 months for escaping.

But it took more than a week for police to track down MacDonald,

In sentencing, Justice John Burns said the escape seemed to have been opportunistic.

“It does not appear any significant planning or pre-meditation was involved,” he told the court.

Justice Burns told MacDonald he accepted he had taken full responsibility for his role in the escape.

“You expressed your remorse,” he said.

“I accept you have a growing appreciation of your offending and its affect on the community.”

MacDonald was sentenced for several other crimes, including property and aggravated burglary offences.

The total sentence was four years, but with the time already served he will be eligible for parole in December.

This post originally appeared on ABC News.