A murderer escaped from prison and ordered a taxi to a pub in Dundee while covered in mud.

Andrew Sharkey was not spotted as he fled Castle Huntly jail because CCTV cameras did not cover the exit.

The 36-year-old was serving a life sentence for the murder of Shahid Khan in 2003 when he was moved from closed conditions to the open prison near Dundee.

Perth Sheriff Court was told on Tuesday that Sharkey had only been in Castle Huntly for two months when he went on the run at the end of June this year.

He walked out of the jail and phoned a taxi which took him to a bar, before spending nights with friends.

Sharkey, from Perth, admitted escaping from Castle Huntly on June 30 and remaining at large for 36 hours while he was the subject of a nationwide manhunt. He was jailed for eight months.

Fiscal depute John Malpass told the court: "He was a life prisoner with a minimum term of 11 years. Castle Huntly is an open prison covered by CCTV, which captured images of movements within certain areas.

"On April 25 the accused was transferred from secure conditions. At 5.40pm on June 30, prison staff noticed he was missing.

"A search of the prison and its grounds was carried out but he was not found."

He continued: "A review of CCTV footage showed him entering the kitchen at 16.44 and leaving at 16.46 and this was the last time he was captured on CCTV.

"No footage shows him leaving the building, although a number of the exits are not covered by CCTV. A taxi driver arrived in Shore Terrace in response to a call for a fare.

"He saw a male covered in mud, who said he had called for a taxi. The accused said he had got stuck in the mud on the nearby shore. He took the taxi to the Strath Bar."

Solicitor Paul Ralph, defending, said Sharkey had met a woman during a period if home leave and had hoped to begin a relationship.

Sharkey stabbed Mr Khan in the chest because he wanted to steal his victim's fiance.

Days before being convicted of murder he went on the run from the dock at Perth Sheriff Court.

He fled from the court building, ran across the road and jumped 30ft down into the River Tay.