Dramatic CCTV footage showing the moment two inmates broke out of a prison van, with the help of shotgun-wielding masked accomplices, has been revealed for the first time today.
Ryan MacDonald, 20, and Stevie McMullen, 32, masterminded a plot to have their mobile phones smuggled into jail so they could use them to plan their breakout with co-conspirators on the outside.
Both men managed to break out of the prison van, while police were held at gunpoint, in April last year while they were on their way to face court in the Manchester rush hour.
A gang of masked men tracked the prison van before blocking it with a green Saab car in the middle of the street in Salford, Manchester.
They then threatened a guard with a sawn off shotgun, axe and sledgehammer before smashing the windows of the vehicle.
The dramatic footage from inside the van shows how two of the masked men stormed the vehicle - one armed with a sledgehammer and the other with the shotgun - before bundling McDonald and McMullen out of their cells as powerless guards looked on.
The two inmates could then be seen leaping from the truck before all five jumped back into the Saab car which was dumped afterwards just yards down the street.
Three of the gang escaped in another car while the other two sped off on a motorbike. Both escaped inmates were recaptured a few days later after a nationwide manhunt.
Inquiries revealed the plot had been masterminded behind bars using mobile phones which had been smuggled into Altcourse jail in Liverpool.
On the day of the escape itself, MacDonald sent texts from his hidden mobile phone to the conspirators which said: ‘Get on me ASAP, don’t forget car key’.
His lawyer was later arrested and jailed after it emerged she had swapped text messages with him while he used one of the smuggled phones in prison - although she knew nothing of the escape.
McMullen and MacDonald were both convicted of conspiracy to possess an imitation firearm at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, today, after a two month trial held amid tight security. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to escape at earlier hearings.
Armed officers were drafted in to patrol the courthouse and guard the building with Heckler and Koch submachine guns after fears the pair would plan another escape.
Seven other men and three women were found guilty of a range of offences including conspiracy to escape, possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate, encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence, perverting justice and firearms offences.
The court heard the entire escape was orchestrated from prison by MacDonald and McMullen who were both on remand at the privately run jail.
MacDonald had brazenly been using one of the smuggled phones to post messages on his Facebook page in the weeks before the escape.
On April 30 - the day of the breakout - McMullen was due to face trial charged with conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to commit arson and conspiracy to possess a firearm.
MacDonald was due to be sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery after he was charged following a dramatic police chase in Salford.
The court was told three friends of the men attacked the Geoamey prison van at around 9am.
MacDonald and McMullen had not been handcuffed inside the van as ironically ‘officers took the view they were not an escape risk’. The pair were then whisked away to safe houses on a stolen motorbike and a rented Ford Fiesta.
McMullen was arrested on May 5 in a red Nissan Juke driving up the M6 near Lancaster and MacDonald was captured by police 10 days after the ambush at a house situated just 150 yards from the scene of the incident.
All 12 defendants will be sentenced on April 28.
Joanne Cunliffe, temporary deputy head of North West Complex Casework Unit said after the case:
‘Ryan MacDonald was the driving force behind the conspiracy to escape.
‘He orchestrated the plan alongside Stevie McMullen using mobile phones from their prison cells.
‘Telephone evidence showed that the conspirators organised the mechanics of the escape up until the early hours of that day.
‘Three of them armed themselves with a sawn off shot gun, a sledgehammer and an axe which they used to threaten and attack the driver, whilst the others played their part in transporting and hiding them.
‘We have worked closely with Greater Manchester Police to piece together the complex evidence and build a strong case against the defendants.
‘All the defendants in this case thought that they were above the law, but have now been brought to justice for their actions. Two dangerous men have also been taken back off our streets where they will no longer remain a threat to the public.’
Ryan MacDonald, 20, and Stevie McMullen, 32, masterminded a plot to have their mobile phones smuggled into jail so they could use them to plan their breakout with co-conspirators on the outside.
Both men managed to break out of the prison van, while police were held at gunpoint, in April last year while they were on their way to face court in the Manchester rush hour.
A gang of masked men tracked the prison van before blocking it with a green Saab car in the middle of the street in Salford, Manchester.
They then threatened a guard with a sawn off shotgun, axe and sledgehammer before smashing the windows of the vehicle.
The dramatic footage from inside the van shows how two of the masked men stormed the vehicle - one armed with a sledgehammer and the other with the shotgun - before bundling McDonald and McMullen out of their cells as powerless guards looked on.
The two inmates could then be seen leaping from the truck before all five jumped back into the Saab car which was dumped afterwards just yards down the street.
Three of the gang escaped in another car while the other two sped off on a motorbike. Both escaped inmates were recaptured a few days later after a nationwide manhunt.
Inquiries revealed the plot had been masterminded behind bars using mobile phones which had been smuggled into Altcourse jail in Liverpool.
On the day of the escape itself, MacDonald sent texts from his hidden mobile phone to the conspirators which said: ‘Get on me ASAP, don’t forget car key’.
His lawyer was later arrested and jailed after it emerged she had swapped text messages with him while he used one of the smuggled phones in prison - although she knew nothing of the escape.
McMullen and MacDonald were both convicted of conspiracy to possess an imitation firearm at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, today, after a two month trial held amid tight security. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to escape at earlier hearings.
Armed officers were drafted in to patrol the courthouse and guard the building with Heckler and Koch submachine guns after fears the pair would plan another escape.
Seven other men and three women were found guilty of a range of offences including conspiracy to escape, possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate, encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence, perverting justice and firearms offences.
The court heard the entire escape was orchestrated from prison by MacDonald and McMullen who were both on remand at the privately run jail.
MacDonald had brazenly been using one of the smuggled phones to post messages on his Facebook page in the weeks before the escape.
On April 30 - the day of the breakout - McMullen was due to face trial charged with conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to commit arson and conspiracy to possess a firearm.
MacDonald was due to be sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery after he was charged following a dramatic police chase in Salford.
The court was told three friends of the men attacked the Geoamey prison van at around 9am.
MacDonald and McMullen had not been handcuffed inside the van as ironically ‘officers took the view they were not an escape risk’. The pair were then whisked away to safe houses on a stolen motorbike and a rented Ford Fiesta.
McMullen was arrested on May 5 in a red Nissan Juke driving up the M6 near Lancaster and MacDonald was captured by police 10 days after the ambush at a house situated just 150 yards from the scene of the incident.
All 12 defendants will be sentenced on April 28.
Joanne Cunliffe, temporary deputy head of North West Complex Casework Unit said after the case:
‘Ryan MacDonald was the driving force behind the conspiracy to escape.
‘He orchestrated the plan alongside Stevie McMullen using mobile phones from their prison cells.
‘Telephone evidence showed that the conspirators organised the mechanics of the escape up until the early hours of that day.
‘Three of them armed themselves with a sawn off shot gun, a sledgehammer and an axe which they used to threaten and attack the driver, whilst the others played their part in transporting and hiding them.
‘We have worked closely with Greater Manchester Police to piece together the complex evidence and build a strong case against the defendants.
‘All the defendants in this case thought that they were above the law, but have now been brought to justice for their actions. Two dangerous men have also been taken back off our streets where they will no longer remain a threat to the public.’
Source : DailyMail
Comments
Post a Comment