False fax allows US prison escape

A prisoner in the US state of Kentucky was mistakenly freed after a phoney fax ordering his release was sent from a nearby grocery store.

Timothy Rouse, 19, was being held on charges of assault and robbery.

The fax ordering his release claimed to be from the state supreme court, but was riddled with spelling errors and had no letterhead.

Police found Rouse two weeks later at his mother's house after prison authorities realised their mistake.

"It's outrageous that it happened," said Fulton County attorney Rick Major. "I'm just glad nobody got hurt, because he's dangerous."