Four held over prisoner escape

A dangerous prisoner who went on the run following an armed escape outside a hospital was back behind bars today - along with four other people arrested over the incident.

Andrew Farndon, 26, was recaptured after he was sprung from the custody of prison officers as they escorted him to West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, for treatment on Wednesday.

He evaded police for two days before being arrested in Scotland on Friday.

Officers in New Cumnock, Ayrshire, also detained three men and a woman on suspicion of attempting to pervert the ends of justice

A spokeswoman for Suffolk Police, who are investigating the escape, said: "On Friday officers from Strathclyde Police arrested Andrew Farndon in New Cumnock, Ayrshire.

"He is currently detained in police custody.

"A further four people, three men aged 16, 33, 43 and a woman, aged 44, have been arrested and are presently detained in police custody for allegedly attempting to pervert the ends of justice."

The four suspects are expected to appear at Ayr Sheriff Court tomorrow.

It is understood Farndon suffered a knife wound at Highpoint prison in Stradishall, near Newmarket, before being taken to the West Suffolk Hospital's accident and emergency department in a taxi accompanied by two guards at 6.50pm on Wednesday evening.

A waiting gunman confronted the male and female prison officials and threatened them with his weapon, before fleeing with Farndon across the car park.

Farndon's arrest came as his mother made a public appeal urging him to contact police.

Speaking after he was found, Kate Farndon, told reporters: "It has taken a great weight off my mind. I had this terrible fear that he would be cornered and shot down in a hail of bullets.

"My son is not the monster everyone has been making him out to be. I just hope he gets fair treatment and that he is safe back in prison."

Farndon's escape was the second in just a week, after an "extremely dangerous" category A prisoner, murder suspect John Anslow, was sprung from a prison van after it left Hewell Prison in Worcestershire. He remains at large.

Farndon was found guilty of grievous bodily harm after a hammer attack that left his victim with a fractured skull, but officials only classed him as a category C prisoner - meaning he was deemed unlikely to make a determined escape attempt.

PA