Robert John Riley and Trent Wayne Porter plead guilty to escaping from Glen Innes prison

Robert John Riley and Trent Wayne Porter appeared in Armidale Local Court on Monday morning and admitted to 12 charges stemming from their 18 hours on the run.

Riley faces five charges and pleaded guilty to escaping lawful custody, being carried in a stolen conveyance, larceny, custody of a knife and entering inclosed lands.

Porter pleaded guilty to the seven charges including escaping lawful custody, taking and driving a stolen conveyance, larceny, police pursuit, using an unregistered and uninsured car and entering inclosed lands.

Magistrate Michael Holmes adjourned the sentencing until November. The pair made no application for bail and it was refused.

The pair were expected to be transferred to a higher security correctional centre, and face up to two more years behind bars for the brief escape.

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Police conducted a large scale manhunt for Riley, aged 49, and Porter, aged 32, after they fled the Glen Innes Correctional Centre on the Gwydir Highway about 4.30pm on Friday.

New England police made a public appeal to find the pair, with officers scouring the highway and nearby townships on Friday night looking for the men.

On Saturday morning, the pair were in a car which failed to stop, sparking a pursuit on the New England Highway at Armidale at about 10am. 

Extra police were called to back up general duties police, and the car was then abandoned in Beardy Street. 

Police searched the area and found the two men hiding in a nearby house where they were arrested.