[Photo: A decision to split up ended badly for two fleeing New Zealand criminals handcuffed together when they ran past opposite sides of a lamp post.]

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A decision to split up ended badly for two fleeing New Zealand criminals handcuffed together when they ran past opposite sides of a lamp post.

The bungling pair, who fled their police escort outside a court in the North Island city of Hastings, slammed into each other, ending in a dazed heap on the ground.

The poorly executed bid for freedom on Tuesday was caught on a security camera.

One of the men, 20-year-old Regan Reti, was Thursday sentenced to an extra month in jail for the attempted escape, although the posting of the embarrassing security camera footage on the YouTube video website may cause him even more discomfort.

The second man, a 26-year-old, is still to return to court for sentencing.

Reti's lawyer said his client was anxious about being sent to prison and got a case of the "collywobbles".-AFP