Convicted Rapist Escapes Prison, Goes on the Run for a Month in Essex

A convicted rapist from Bushey, near Watford, considered "high risk," was at large in Essex for a month after he cut off his electronic tag following his release from prison.

Jordan Hubbock was sentenced to prison in 2014 for raping three people, one of whom was a child under the age of 16. Hubbock, 26, committed the crimes between 2011 and 2013 and was released from prison on licence in 2021. As part of his release conditions, he was fitted with an electronic tag to track his movements and added to the Sex Offenders' Register, requiring him to inform police of his address, telephone numbers, credit cards, and social media accounts. (EssexLive reports)

Shortly after his release to the Basildon area in Essex, and later Barking, Hubbock cut off his tag. Essex Police, aware of his status as a "high risk" sexual offender, launched a manhunt that included social media appeals.

Hubbock went into hiding in February of last year, evading authorities for a month. On March 18, police located him hiding behind a sunbed in an address they were searching.

Hubbock was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Wednesday, March 9 for breaching notification requirements. Prosecuting, Mitchell Cohen stated: "He had failed to notify police that he was using an application called Kik, and he had been using that in a different name by which he was generally known. The fourth breach relates to a credit card. It was a determined and long-lasting attempt to evade. It caused a great deal of harm when he was declared a high-risk offender."

Mr. Cohen also revealed that police had located the broken electronic tag that Hubbock had discarded in a bin.

Defense attorney Chris Harper stated that Hubbock had taken full responsibility for his actions and admitted guilt, but argued that the use of a different name was not a "deliberate attempt" to evade, but rather his mother's maiden name. He added, "He hasn't understood the requirements that he should have. That's no excuse, the obligation is on him, but it does put this into context. He accepts his behavior was wrong."

Mr. Harper also noted that Hubbock was undertaking a business economics degree from the Open University while in prison.

Judge Samantha Leigh told Hubbock, "It was a determined effort to evade detection. You were off the record for a month. You were eventually tracked by telephone data through your family."

Hubbock was sentenced to 30 months in prison, which will run alongside his recall to prison to serve the remainder of his original sentence. He is expected to remain incarcerated until at least January 2027.