Convicted murderer Shaun Walmsley, 28, escaped from custody during a hospital visit to Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool on Tuesday afternoon. Walmsley was being escorted by three prison guards when an armed gang threatened them with a gun and knife, allowing Walmsley to flee in a gold-coloured Volvo.
Walmsley is serving a life sentence with a minimum of 30 years for the murder of Anthony Duffy in 2014. He was a drug dealer who ran a nationwide crime network. The escape has prompted Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson to call for an urgent security review, describing the incident as 'frightening' and questioning how a category A prisoner could plan and execute such an escape.
In a letter to Home Secretary Amber Rudd, Anderson expressed concern that the escape occurred during a period of heightened tensions in Liverpool, following two gangland executions in public in recent weeks. He warned that Walmsley's freedom could escalate criminal activity in the city.
Category A prisoners are considered highly dangerous to public safety if they escape. Ministry of Justice guidelines recommend a minimum of two officers for escort, with restraints applied. Mike Rolfe of the Prison Officers Association blamed government cuts, noting that a secure van would have been used in the past, providing additional security.
Police are searching for Walmsley and have described the accomplices: one man with a gun, wearing white shoes, grey tracksuit bottoms, a grey hoodie, and a dark coat; another with a knife, wearing a green outfit. Both had their faces covered.
