Convicted murderer who escaped from prison is finally arrested after 18 months on the run
A convicted murderer who escaped from prison 18 months ago has been arrested.
Shaun Walmsley, 29, fled when two men armed with a knife and a gun confronted prison guards outside Aintree University Hospital during a visit from HMP Walton in Liverpool in February 2017.
He was held on Tuesday afternoon when armed officers stopped a car in the Harehills district of Leeds.
In a statement, Merseyside Police said: “Escaped prisoner Shaun Walmsley is back in custody following a proactive operation by officers from Merseyside Police and West Yorkshire Police earlier yesterday.”
Walmsley appeared in court on Wednesday via video link and confirmed his name and date of birth. He also confirmed he understood the charge of escape from lawful custody. He was remanded in custody and will appear at Liverpool Crown Court on 19 September.
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Walmsley was sentenced to life in June 2015 for his part in the murder of Anthony Duffy.
Mr Duffy, 33, was lured to an address in Aintree in May 2014 and “repeatedly stabbed”.
Walmsley escaped from custody on February 21 last year during the scheduled hospital appointment and used a gold-coloured Volvo as the getaway vehicle which was later found abandoned in Fazakerley.
Police had put up a reward of £20,000 of Walmsley’s own money for information leading to his capture. The money was seized following his arrest and conviction for the murder.
Detectives also worked with officers from the National Crime Agency and police forces in Europe to locate Walmsley.
