Murderer and violent inmate who escaped from jail on New Year’s Day arrested

A murderer and another inmate who scarpered from a prison on New Year’s Day have been arrested.

Matthew Armstrong, 35, and Daniel Washbourne, 40, who legged it from HMP Leyhill in South Gloucestershire, were both collared earlier today. Armstrong was apprehended near Henley-in-Arden train station by Warwickshire Police just before noon following a tip-off from a member of the public.

Washbourne was nicked at around 1.30am by Avon and Somerset Police in the heart of Bristol city centre, reports the Mirror. Armstrong has also been arrested on suspicion of robbery, in connection with an incident in a village near Leyhill, which happened at around 6.45pm on Wednesday, December 31, the night before he absconded from HMP Leyhill.

A man had forced his way into a home and threatened the occupants before stealing a mobile phone and a quantity of cash. Following this incident, police carried out a number of enquiries, including interviews with the victims and house-to-house enquiries, which have led to Armstrong being arrested on suspicion of committing this offence.

In addition to the arrests today, a third man was arrested by Avon and Somerset Police in Bristol on Saturday, January 3. The 39-year-old has since been charged with escaping lawful custody, and he appeared at court on Monday, January 5. He’ll next appear at Bristol Crown Court in February.

Armstrong was imprisoned for murdering a victim during a robbery in Warwickshire in 2009. Washbourne has previous convictions for false imprisonment and violence against a person, according to the police.

The authorities earlier revealed that two men matching their description were spotted on Ashley Road, Bristol, at around 10.35am on Saturday, January 3. They were seen heading towards the Stokes Croft area.

On Sunday, January 4, between approximately 9.35-9.45am, a man was captured on CCTV walking along Filton Road and then Gloucester Road North in Filton, pausing at one point to check bus timetables.

The man was wearing a burgundy coat similar to the one worn by Armstrong when he left HMP Leyhill. It is believed he continued to walk along the same road and was seen in the Patchway area between about 11.05-11.15am.

The pair were reportedly seen absconding from the South Gloucestershire prison between 5-8pm on Thursday 1 January.