Two convicted criminals who escaped from a South West prison on New Year's Day have been apprehended following a week-long police search. Matthew Armstrong, 35, and Daniel Washbourne, 40, absconded from HMP Leyhill in South Gloucestershire between 5pm and 8pm on 1 January.
How the fugitives were tracked down
The two men were not captured together. Matthew Armstrong was arrested near Henley-in-Arden train station by Warwickshire Police just before noon on Wednesday, 7 January. His detention came after a vigilant member of the public reported a sighting.
His accomplice, Daniel Washbourne, was arrested in Bristol city centre at around 1.30am on the same day by Avon and Somerset Police. Officers found him with pre-existing injuries, requiring an initial hospital visit, before he too was taken into police custody.
New charges and a third arrest
In a significant development, Avon and Somerset Police confirmed that Armstrong has also been arrested on suspicion of robbery. This relates to an incident in a village near the prison on the evening of 31 December, the night before the escape.
"A man forced his way into a home and threatened the occupants before stealing a mobile phone and a quantity of cash," a police statement said. Enquiries, including victim interviews, led to Armstrong being linked to this offence.
Separately, a third man, aged 39, was arrested in Bristol on Saturday, 3 January. He has since been charged with escaping lawful custody, appeared in court on 5 January, and is due at Bristol Crown Court in February.
Background of the escaped inmates
The incident has raised questions about the individuals who managed to flee the open prison. Matthew Armstrong is serving a sentence for murder, having been convicted of killing someone during a 2009 robbery in Warwickshire.
Daniel Washbourne has previous convictions for serious offences including false imprisonment and violence against a person, according to police records. Their week of freedom has now conclusively ended, with both back behind bars as investigations continue.
