Manhunt after convicted triple tried assassin absconds from Kirklevington Prison
John Laidlaw, 44, convicted of three counts of attempted murder in 2007, absconded from prison on Monday afternoon after failing to return from his unsupervised car valeting shift
John Laidlaw, has escaped prison(Image: Cleveland Police)
Police have initiated a search operation after a prisoner absconded while working as a car valet.
John Laidlaw, who is serving a sentence for three counts of attempted murder, vanished following his car valeting shift at Kirklevington Grange Prison, Stockton-on-Tees, on Monday afternoon (May 4).
The 44-year-old is employed in the prison’s car valeting service, which is accessible to the public.
He disappeared from the prison, where he has recently been granted “unsupervised day release on a regular basis”, shortly after 2pm, according to Cleveland Police.
His absence was reported to the authorities just after 4.30pm.
When John was last spotted, he was dressed in a navy blue sweatshirt, blue cargo style trousers and white and blue trainers.
Police are utilising dogs and a drone to assist in locating the fugitive as they review CCTV footage.
The public are being cautioned not to approach him.
Laidlaw, originally from the Hertfordshire area, was found guilty of three attempted murders and incarcerated in 2007.
He was transferred to Kirklevington Prison in 2024.
Laidlaw was convicted of attempting to murder three bystanders in north London in 2006.
He was on probation following a previous racially motivated attack when he embarked on the ‘shooting spree’ in Islington and Finsbury Park.
The court was told that he “threatened to kill all black people” prior to being found guilty of the attempted murder of Mr Kamara, Mr Baptiste, and Ms Sheridan in the attacks, which were recorded on CCTV.
Abu Kamara, a 44 year old black social worker, was gunned down in the neck while heading out for a drink following work.
Later that same evening, Laidlaw opened fire on another black man, Evans Baptiste, in a crowded tunnel approaching Finsbury Park tube station, with Emma Sheridan becoming caught in the crossfire.
He was also convicted of two counts of possessing a firearm.
Superintendent John Wrintmore, said on Monday evening: “John Laidlaw was reported missing to Cleveland Police at around 4.30pm today.
“We have officers and dogs doing land searches around the area of the prison, and we have deployed the drone as we continue our efforts to locate him. We are also quickly working through CCTV footage and conducting numerous lines of enquiry.
“John is not from the area, so at the moment we have no indication where he may be headed, or if he may have travelled from Yarm train station, either North or South.
“While I understand there may be concerns amongst people in the local area, I can say we do know John has regularly been on day release from the prison, unsupervised.
“Anyone who thinks they might have seen John is asked not to approach him, but to dial 999.”
