Escaped killer's further jail sentence

29 year old Shaun Walmsley, was already serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 30 years behind bars when two men, armed with an Uzi submachine gun and a knife, threatened to shoot and "cut" his three prison guards, before snatching him outside Aintree Hospital in February 2017.

 

Walmsley spent 18 months on the run from HMP Liverpool before he was captured in a pre-planned operation by armed police in Leeds in August.

 

After he was repeatedly tasered and dragged out of a car he told the officers "Good job boys!", Liverpool Crown Court heard.

 

He was given a minimum 30 years in June 2015 for the brutal stabbing of rival drug dealer Anthony Duffy.

 

After his appeal was refused Walmsley hatched the prison escape by deliberately losing weight and feigning illness.

 

On Tuesday he pleaded guilty to a single count of escape from custody.

 

Judge Clement Goldstone, Recorder of Liverpool, told the defendant if he thought another sentence would make no difference as he was already serving life, "you could not be more wrong".

 

He was told although he is only eligible for parole in June 2047 after that sentence finishes, he must serve another eight years - half of it in jail - before release.

 

The judge added: "After undergoing your procedure you were, to use the vernacular, sprung by two men who had parked a car nearby.

"Each was armed one with a machine gun the other a knife and gas canister.

 

"I have no doubt over the months you began to think by a combination of disguise, re-location and friends in low places you had become above the law and would remain at large indefinitely.

 

"But Merseyside Police had other ideas. Eventually the joint and perfectly co-ordinated operation with West Yorkshire Police led to your arrest."