Two individuals, a murderer and a violent offender, were apprehended for escaping from an open prison on New Year’s Day. Matthew Armstrong, 35, and Daniel Washbourne, 40, were captured following their departure from HMP Leyhill in South Gloucestershire between 5 pm and 8 pm on January 1. Armstrong, who was convicted in 2009 for a murder committed during a robbery in Warwickshire, was arrested near Henley-in-Arden train station in Warwickshire after a member of the public reported his sighting.
Washbourne, with previous convictions for violence and false imprisonment, was detained in Bristol city center around 1:30 am. Initially taken to the hospital due to existing injuries, he is now in police custody, according to Avon and Somerset Police.
Armstrong was also taken into custody on suspicion of robbery related to an incident near Leyhill on the evening of December 31, the day before their escape from HMP Leyhill. The crime involved a break-in, threats to the occupants, and theft of a mobile phone and cash, leading to Armstrong’s arrest.
A third man, aged 39, who absconded alongside Armstrong and Washbourne, was arrested in Bristol and appeared in Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Monday, facing charges of absconding and scheduled to appear before Bristol Crown Court in February.
Following the escape, Alex Davies-Jones MP, a junior minister at the Ministry of Justice, announced a review of HMP Leyhill within 20 days. During the search for Armstrong and Washbourne, Avon and Somerset Police released CCTV images of the duo. Efforts including national police alerts, intelligence operations, and victim notifications regarding the absconders’ past offenses were undertaken to locate the fugitives.