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Shaun Walmsley prison escape prompts call for urgent security review Shaun Walmsley prison escape prompts call for urgent security review
(about 9 hours later)
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 have confirmed that Shaun Walmsley, 38, remains at large after the ambush outside Aintree University hospital in Liverpool at about 3pm on Tuesday.Merseyside police have 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 was getting into a minicab with three 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.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, called on Wednesday 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 had asked 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. In a letter to Rudd, Anderson said: “I am appalled that during a period of heightened tensions in the city, which has resulted in two gangland executions carried out in public in the last three weeks, that a major gangland figure was gifted the opportunity to abscond in the manner he did.
“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.” “I can only speculate what sort of activity will follow within the criminal underworld now that this individual is at large but I will not be surprised if those tensions are escalated even further.”
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.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 before any hospital visit, and that this risk assessment must be approved by the prison’s head of operations or governor.
Mike Rolfe, the national chair of the Prison Officers Association, said the escape was a “sad indictment” of government cuts to the prison service.
He said: “He would have been in a normal taxi, so we understand, going to hospital. Years ago, he would have been escorted by a prison secure van. The secure van would have been able to park directly at the entrance [and] that would have meant there would have been additional uniformed staff around.”
Rolfe said the officers involved were “shaken up” but physically unharmed.
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.”
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. 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 hoodie 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.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. 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.”
Detectives on Wednesday revealed that Walmsley’s accomplices had been lying in wait outside the hospital for 90 minutes before the ambush.Detectives on Wednesday revealed that Walmsley’s accomplices had been lying in wait outside the hospital for 90 minutes before the ambush.
Merseyside police said the Volvo had been parked in the Adlam crescent area of Fazakerley – half a mile from the hospital – with at least one man inside from about midday. Merseyside police said the Volvo had been parked in the Adlam Crescent area of Fazakerley – half a mile from the hospital – with at least one man inside from about midday.
The getaway car then travelled the short distance to Aintree university hospital at about 1.25pm, police said, where it lay in wait before springing the killer from custody at 3.05pm. The getaway car then travelled the short distance to Aintree University hospital at about 1.25pm, police said, where it lay in wait before springing the killer from custody at 3.05pm.
A police spokeswoman said officers then found the vehicle at 8pm in Adlam Crescent, where it had been from noon, before the ambush. A police spokeswoman said officers then found the vehicle at 8pm in Adlam Crescent.
Det Supt Natalie Perischine, said: “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.“Walmsely is a highly dangerous individual, who was convicted of a vicious and savage murder of 33-year-old Anthony Duffy, who was stabbed multiple times during the attack which robbed him of his life in 2014. He took the life of this young man in a frenzied attack and in doing so ruined the lives of his victim’s family and friends. “We will be relentless in our pursuit of Walmsley and the men who helped him to escape and we need the public’s help to find him and put him back behind bars. We are particularly interested in speaking to anyone who may have seen the gold Volvo used in the incident. We believe it was in the Adlam Crescent area from around noon yesterday and then was abandoned soon after the incident in Adlam Crescent. We would appeal to anyone who saw the car being abandoned to come forward as they could have vital information for our investigation.” Police said they had traced the car’s last registered owner, who sold it privately two months ago. Detectives have appealed for information from anyone who may have seen the vehicle in the two months leading up to Tuesday’s ambush.
Det Supt Natalie Perischine said: “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.” She described Walmsley as a “highly dangerous individual”.