Man in court over jail van escape

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/5415616.stm

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A man has appeared in court charged with escaping from custody during an incident in which a prison van was stopped by two armed men.

Craig Hickinbottom, 24, from Oldbury, West Midlands, is alleged to have fled from a prison van near Worcestershire's Blakenhurst Prison on 27 September.

He was remanded in custody at Redditch Magistrates' Court to appear before Worcester Crown Court on 12 October.

Mr Hickinbottom was arrested in Smethwick, West Midlands, on Thursday.

There was no application for bail during a four-minute hearing on Saturday.

Mr Hickinbottom spoke only to give his name and date of birth.