The Bolton News
MANCHESTER, England — A prisoner on his way to hospital after his ear was partly cut off escaped from custody when a gang smashed up the ambulance he was travelling in.
Michael O’Donnell, aged 28, was sprung early yesterday when a gang ambushed the vehicle and attacked it with baseball bats and boltcutters shortly after it had left Forest Bank Prison in Salford.
Police are hunting O’Donnell, who has links to the Stockport area and south Manchester, and have warned people not to approach him.
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: “Officers from the major incident team, who usually investigate murders, are working round the clock, following up lines of inquiry to try to find O’Donnell, but we need the public’s help.
“This was a terrifying attack on an ambulance and, though nobody was physically harmed, it certainly left the people who were looking after O’Donnell feeling understandably frightened.”
O’Donnell was on remand awaiting sentence after he was found guilty at Manchester Crown Court of conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to commit burglary.
The drama began shortly after 1.30am yesterday when O’Donnell told prison staff he had sustained an injury in his cell.
Staff saw that part of his left ear had been cut off, although police said there was no suggestion O’Donnell was attacked.
O’Donnell was put into an ambulance and escorted in handcuffs by three prison officers as paramedics took him on a twomile journey to Salford Royal Hospital.
A stolen BMW car forced the ambulance to stop in Agecroft Road. Four masked men leapt out of the car and started smashing the windows with weapons.
Security guards freed O’Donnell from the handcuffs and he escaped.
A short time later, police found the car abandoned in Lumn’s Lane, a quiet road near Clifton Train Station.
The vehicle had been stolen during a burglary in Levenshulme on April 30.
Mr Hopkins said: “O’Donnell had been warned by a judge he was facing a long prison sentence.
He needs to be caught and put back where he belongs.
“He does have links to Stockport and south Manchester and may have links to the travelling community.
“I would warn anyone who knows of his whereabouts or who sees him not to approach him, but to call 999 immediately.”
O’Donnell is 6ft, of medium build and with short fair hair.
A spokesman for HMP Forest Bank declined to comment.
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