Two people have been arrested in connection with the daring escape of murderer Shaun Walmsley.
Merseyside Police arrested a 27-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman at a property in Norris Green, Liverpool, on Thursday evening in connection with Walmsley’s escape outside a Liverpool hospital.
The pair have been charged on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Walmsley has been on the run since Tuesday afternoon after two armed men ambushed prison officers outside Aintree University Hospital, where the 28-year-old had an appointment.
The incident sparked criticism for the “woefully inadequate escort arrangements” in place for the prisoner’s medical visit from HMP Walton .
Walmsley and the men fled the scene in a gold Volvo with the registration number MW02 XHE, which detectives found in the Fazakerley area of Liverpool.
CCTV images have been released showing the moment the armed men threatened prison officers.
Detective Superintendent Natalie Perischine said: “The CCTV shows that the people involved in the actual incident were in a very close huddle and we know that although a gun and knife were used by the offenders, they were not blatantly on show to other people walking by.
“These witnesses may not have realised what was going on.
“They may have thought it looked a bit odd, but probably wouldn’t have thought anything of it.
“We do know that the gold Volvo was blocking the rear of the car which was meant to take Walmsley back to prison, and this was making access to a roundabout at the hospital difficult and one delivery driver was forced to mount the kerb to get past.”
The officer appealed for the public to look at the images and to contact the police with information.
“I would like to reiterate that Shaun Walmsley and the two others involved in the incident are dangerous individuals and we will be relentless in our pursuit them,” she added.
Walmsley was serving life with a minimum of 30 years for the murder of Anthony Duffy, 33, in May 2014, when he escaped.
Duffy was lured to an address in Aintree and repeatedly stabbed and left for dead.
Liverpool mayor, Joe Anderson, is demanding an urgent investigation into why a violent murderer was “gifted the opportunity to abscond in the manner he did”.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 999 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.