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| Shaun Walmsley prison escape prompts call for urgent security review | Shaun Walmsley prison escape prompts call for urgent security review |
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| The mayor of Liverpool has demanded an urgent security review after a gangland killer was sprung from custody by an armed gang while on a hospital visit. | The mayor of Liverpool has demanded an urgent security review after a gangland killer was sprung from custody by an armed gang while on a hospital visit. |
| Merseyside police has confirmed that Shaun Walmsley, 38, remains at large after the ambush outside Aintree University hospital in Liverpool at about 3pm on Tuesday. | Merseyside police has confirmed that Shaun Walmsley, 38, remains at large after the ambush outside Aintree University hospital in Liverpool at about 3pm on Tuesday. |
| Walmsley was getting into a minicab with two prison guards when they were threatened with a gun and knife by his accomplices. Neither guard was seriously hurt but Walmsley escaped with the attackers in a gold-coloured Volvo. | |
| Walmsley, a drug dealer who ran a nationwide crime network, is serving a life sentence with a minimum of 30 years at HMP Liverpool for the murder in May 2014 of Anthony Duffy, who was lured to a street near Aintree racecourse and repeatedly stabbed. | |
| Joe Anderson, the Labour mayor of Liverpool, on Wednesday called for an urgent review into the “frightening” security breach. | Joe Anderson, the Labour mayor of Liverpool, on Wednesday called for an urgent review into the “frightening” security breach. |
| He said: “It’s just incredible really, unbelievable that a category A prisoner with such a history of killing would be in this position where he could plan and execute an escape, because that’s what it seems to me has gone on here. | He said: “It’s just incredible really, unbelievable that a category A prisoner with such a history of killing would be in this position where he could plan and execute an escape, because that’s what it seems to me has gone on here. |
| “It’s clear that it’s been planned and it’s frightening that it’s been executed. We need to get an explanation as to what security arrangements were around this prisoner and is it the right thing that during ordinary hours category A prisoners are allowed to make scheduled hospital appointments.” | “It’s clear that it’s been planned and it’s frightening that it’s been executed. We need to get an explanation as to what security arrangements were around this prisoner and is it the right thing that during ordinary hours category A prisoners are allowed to make scheduled hospital appointments.” |
| Anderson said he would ask the home secretary, Amber Rudd, to review security arrangements around category A prisoners making scheduled hospital visits. | Anderson said he would ask the home secretary, Amber Rudd, to review security arrangements around category A prisoners making scheduled hospital visits. |
| He added: “In view of the fact that he’s clearly had an appointment, and he’s been able to convey that to the outside world, there needs to be a review as to how much notice was given to him about his appointment. | He added: “In view of the fact that he’s clearly had an appointment, and he’s been able to convey that to the outside world, there needs to be a review as to how much notice was given to him about his appointment. |
| “We want an urgent review and I’ll be asking the home secretary to make sure there’s a review of how prisoners ... especially category A prisoners with a record of murder and gun crime, can visit, and be given notification of appointment.” | |
| Category A prisoners are defined as “those whose escape would be highly dangerous to the public or national security”. They are further separated into standard risk, high risk, and exceptional risk, depending on how likely they are to try to escape. | |
| Ministry of Justice guidelines say “the minimum standard escort strength is two officers or more with restraints applied to the prisoner in all but exceptional circumstances”. | Ministry of Justice guidelines say “the minimum standard escort strength is two officers or more with restraints applied to the prisoner in all but exceptional circumstances”. |
| They state that prison managers must undertake a risk assessment to decide the level of escort and restraint prior to any hospital visit, and that this risk assessment must be approved by the prison’s head of operations or governor. | They state that prison managers must undertake a risk assessment to decide the level of escort and restraint prior to any hospital visit, and that this risk assessment must be approved by the prison’s head of operations or governor. |
| Walmsley was sentenced for murder along with three other men in June 2015. The judge in the trial, Clement Goldstone QC, said Walmsley and one of his accomplices, Christopher Kenny, considered themselves “untouchable”, adding that the gang arranged to have Duffy “delivered up as their prey”. | Walmsley was sentenced for murder along with three other men in June 2015. The judge in the trial, Clement Goldstone QC, said Walmsley and one of his accomplices, Christopher Kenny, considered themselves “untouchable”, adding that the gang arranged to have Duffy “delivered up as their prey”. |
| Goldstone said: “They decided that Anthony Duffy had to be eliminated, not only because he was a rival drug dealer, but even more because he dared to cross them and the message had to be sent out as to who was boss. Anthony Duffy has paid the ultimate price. His family’s loss is unquantifiable.” | Goldstone said: “They decided that Anthony Duffy had to be eliminated, not only because he was a rival drug dealer, but even more because he dared to cross them and the message had to be sent out as to who was boss. Anthony Duffy has paid the ultimate price. His family’s loss is unquantifiable.” |
| After the sentencing, police said Walmsley and his accomplices had neither shown any emotion nor expressed any remorse for their crime. In his sentencing remarks, the judge told the men: “This was a murder committed to enforce your self-perceived position of drug dealers of importance in Liverpool.” | After the sentencing, police said Walmsley and his accomplices had neither shown any emotion nor expressed any remorse for their crime. In his sentencing remarks, the judge told the men: “This was a murder committed to enforce your self-perceived position of drug dealers of importance in Liverpool.” |
| The court heard that Duffy suffered 28 wounds during the attack. One witness told the jury that “two men appeared and one of them started stabbing him”. He said: “One just pulled a knife out and started stabbing.” | The court heard that Duffy suffered 28 wounds during the attack. One witness told the jury that “two men appeared and one of them started stabbing him”. He said: “One just pulled a knife out and started stabbing.” |
| On Tuesday, Merseyside police described the gunman who assisted in Walmsley’s escape as having his face covered and wearing white shoes, grey tracksuit bottoms with a stripe down each side, a grey hoody and a dark coat. The man armed with a knife had his face covered and wore a green coat, dark Nike trainers and grey tracksuit bottoms. | On Tuesday, Merseyside police described the gunman who assisted in Walmsley’s escape as having his face covered and wearing white shoes, grey tracksuit bottoms with a stripe down each side, a grey hoody and a dark coat. The man armed with a knife had his face covered and wore a green coat, dark Nike trainers and grey tracksuit bottoms. |
| Officers said Walmsley is about 6ft tall and of slim build with dark brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing dark bottoms and a dark jacket. | |
| Police said they received a report of the escape at about 3pm on Tuesday and launched a manhunt. “Patrols attended at the hospital immediately, and an extensive search of the area is under way and CCTV is being sought. | |
| “An investigation into the full circumstances of the incident is ongoing and Merseyside police is working with the Ministry of Justice and other forces across the country to establish Walmsley’s whereabouts so that he can be returned to prison.” | “An investigation into the full circumstances of the incident is ongoing and Merseyside police is working with the Ministry of Justice and other forces across the country to establish Walmsley’s whereabouts so that he can be returned to prison.” |