Helping a prisoner of war to escape was legally a misdemeanour and very mildly punished until 1811. In that year the offence was made a felony punishable by transportation for seven or fourteen years or for life at the court’s discretion. (52 Geo. III, c. 156) I would therefore have thought your ancestor would have been the subject of some record showing a conviction for felony and it would be interesting to know why he was not transported.
The persons he helped to escape were (1) Captain A. de Marconay who was captured at Flushing on 15th August 1809 and who was received at Ashby from Forton Prison, Bristol on 11th September 1809, and (2) 2nd Lt Joseph Frequin, captured at Flushing on 15th August 1809 and received at Ashby from Yarmouth on 16th October 1809. They were parole prisoners, living in lodgings in Ashby, subject to various regulations and restrictions, but otherwise relatively free.
Helping prisoners to escape was a crime done for money, rather than out of any sympathy for French officers, and there were a few criminals who specialised in it. One of your other correspondents refers you to a website with the text of Francis Abell's Prisoners of War in Great Britain, 1756-1815. This is quite good on parole life, but Abell is very unreliable when he deals with the prison hulks.
I hope this helps.
Abergynolwyn
