Police arrest man after identity switch escape

A man who allegedly escaped from a court after switching identities with his twin brother was back in custody today.

Simon Maclellan, 27, who was on remand at Winchester prison for a serious assault, allegedly walked from a court on Friday afternoon after pretending he was his twin brother Mark and being released by magistrates.

Police said he was arrested last night at an address in Fareham, Hampshire.

A second man, whose age was unknown, was also arrested at the same address for aiding and abetting an escape, police said.

Maclellan, from Gosport, Hants, went missing from Fareham Magistrates Court. He is a non-identical twin of Mark, who is also on remand at Winchester.

His disappearance was discovered on Friday night by prison officials who alerted police shortly after 9pm.

A 27-year-old man and a woman in her 20s have also been arrested in connection with the alleged escape.

All four will be questioned by detectives, police said.