Taxi Driver Online

Escaped prisoner Andrew Farndon had fled before

A dangerous criminal who escaped as he was taken by taxi to a Suffolk hospital for treatment on a knife wound had previously fled from court. Andrew Farndon, 26, escaped when two guards were threatened at gunpoint as he arrived at the Bury St Edmunds hospital at 18:50 GMT on Wednesday. Detectives believe Farndon was injured as part of a pre-planned plot.

Farndon had previously escaped by leaping from the dock in 2007 while on trial over a hammer attack. He is serving an indeterminate sentence for causing grievous bodily harm.

Police have released closed circuit television images of a gunman approaching the hospital and the two men fleeing. Forces nationwide have joined the hunt for Farndon, whose family live in the Coventry area.

Det Ch Insp Nick Bennett, of Suffolk police, said officers were investigating whether mobile phones were used in the planning and execution of the escape. "It smacks of something which has been planned well in advance and with associates on the outside," he said.

Officials are investigating whether Farndon inflicted a serious knife wound on himself, before being taken to the hospital's Accident & Emergency (A&E) department in a taxi accompanied by two guards. Closed circuit television footage of a gunman approaching the hospital and two men fleeing Farndon fled after prison officers were threatened at gunpoint

A Prison Service spokeswoman said "vetted taxi companies" were used "routinely" to transport prisoners on visits including non-emergency medical appointments. She said taxis were not used for "high risk" prisoners. Farndon was rated a Category C prisoner, a security classification which meant he was considered unlikely to make a determined escape attempt.

Mr Bennett, of Suffolk Police, said a weapon had been "pressed against the prison officer's head" during the escape. "He was handcuffed to a female prison officer who removed the handcuffs when threatened with the handgun," said Mr Bennett. "A male prison officer was also escorting him."

It is not thought the escape is linked to that of an "extremely dangerous" category A inmate, murder suspect John Anslow, who was sprung from a prison van after it left Hewell Prison in Worcestershire on Monday. Det Ch Insp Nick Bennett said Farndon had associates on the outside

Former convict Mark Leech, editor of the national prisoners' newspaper Converse, has called for a full inquiry into how both escapes were possible.

"Forget reform, rehabilitation or reducing reoffending, the first and primary function of the Prison Service is security - and nowhere is that brought into sharper focus than with the security of highly dangerous prisoners of whom they have lost two in a week," he said. "How is it that security intelligence at these prisons missed completely both of these clearly pre-planned escapes?"

Justice Minister Crispin Blunt said the circumstances behind the latest incident would be examined. A Prison Service spokeswoman said an inquiry would follow.

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IDFIMH

seems to be a few of these lately saw something on the news about a prison van being held up at gunpoint to release a convict

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Bury St Edmunds: Prison service defends taxi use despite prisoner escape


A nationwide manhunt continued yesterday after Andrew Farndon escaped from outside West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds on Wednesday.

He was taken to hospital after suffering what police think was probably a self-inflicted gash in his back.

The 26-year-old, who was serving an indeterminate sentence at HMP Highpoint for causing grievous bodily harm, was sprung from custody by an armed gunman when Farndon pulled up outside A&E in a taxi with two prison officers.

A gun was put to the head of a woman security guard and Farndon was set free.

Last night Suffolk police released CCTV images of two men fleeing the hospital in addition to images of witnesses who they want to speak to.

Bury St Edmunds MP David Ruffley said he wants answers about the level of security as Farndon was taken to hospital. He said: “I am very concerned that there is a dangerous, violent prisoner on the loose.

“I shall be writing to the governor of HMP Highpoint to ask what level of armed security guard he had detailed to accompany the prisoner Farndon.

“It seems to me they should have been capable of resisting intimidation by an armed accomplice of the prisoner.”

However, the prison authorities defended its decision to classify Farndon as a low-risk Category C offender and of its use of a local taxi firm to ferry him to the hospital. A spokeswoman said: “He was classed as a Category C prisoner and he was in the right establishment.

“The Prison Service has an obligation to provide the most cost-effective method of transporting prisoners, without compromising public safety.

“Vetted taxi companies are routinely used by prison establishments to escort prisoners on a range of visits, such as non-emergency medical appointments. High-risk prisoners are not transported by taxi.”

It is understood a full prison inquiry into Farndon’s escape will be held. It is thought the hospital will also be speaking to HMP Highpoint about the incident and current prisoner transfer arrangements. A spokeswoman for the hospital declined to comment on whether it felt the current arrangements were adequate but did say: “Ensuring the safety of our staff and patients is a priority for the West Suffolk Hospital.

“We already work closely with both the police and prison service and will continue to do so in the future.”

It is the second time Farndon has escaped custody – the first time being in 2007 when he leapt from the dock at Coventry Crown Court. He had been accused of attacking a man with a claw hammer.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Bennett, of Suffolk police, yesterday said Farndon was now possibly in the West Midlands. “He has been convicted of causing grievous bodily harm – that’s about as dangerous as you can get.

“We are obviously researching his offending history, who he has been in contact with whilst he has been in prison. We are also studying CCTV and number-plate recognition records to try to identify the car which was used in the escape.

“His prison cell has been searched and various items recovered. No blade was found in this search.

“The prison officers are still shaken and it was obviously a terrifying ordeal.”

Police are advising the public not to approach Farndon but to call 999.

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/bury_st_edmu ... _1_1189068

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I suspect his sentence will be even more indeterminate now