Yard gives warning as violent prisoner flees

SCOTLAND YARD last night warned the public not to approach a 'violent and extremely dangerous' remand prisoner who was on the run after escaping from police custody outside a London magistrates' court yesterday morning.

Tyrone Evans, 28, fled at 8.30am while being taken from High Down prison in Sutton, south London, to the local magistrates' court, guarded by one police constable and one civilian driver. He was not classified as being a category 'A' prisoner requiring high security custody.

Evans overpowered the guard as the van arrived at the 'cage' which covers the prisoner entrance to the court. He slipped through the gap between the van and the cage and ran to a blue Renault turbo which had been waiting for him. Police said the number of the car was D56 JHV.

Police forces throughout the South-east had been alerted for Evans. He was 'violent and extremely dangerous' and anyone seeing him should not approach him and should contact police. He was described as 6ft tall, heavily built, with short black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a sky blue shirt and black trousers.

Evans is charged with assisting in dismembering and disposing of the body of Stephen Davison between 28 May and 16 September, with intent to impede the prosecution of two men charged with the murder. Mr Davison, 39, of Swindon, Wiltshire, vanished in May after a pub fight. His dismembered torso was found in a pond at Reigate, Surrey, in the summer.

Scotland Yard said the escape will be investigated by a senior officer who is likely to examine whether security provision at the magistrates' court could be improved. It comes just two days after seven police officers and two prison officers were injured outside the same court when Anthony Bolden, a category 'A' prisoner, attempted to escape. He had smuggled a makeshift knife and a canister of CS gas or ammonia into the van from Belmarsh high security jail in south-east London.