A CONVICTED murderer and a second prisoner have been arrested after absconding from an open prison on New Year’s Day, police said.
Matthew Armstrong, 35, and Daniel Washbourne, 40, left HMP Leyhill, South Gloucestershire, between 5pm and 8pm on January 1.
Avon and Somerset Police said both Armstrong and Washbourne had been arrested on Wednesday.
Armstrong, who was convicted of murdering someone during a robbery in Warwickshire in 2009, was arrested by Warwickshire Police officers near Henley-in-Arden train station just before 12pm.
A member of the public had reported seeing Armstrong, who is now in police custody.
Washbourne, who has previous convictions for violence against a person and false imprisonment, was arrested in Bristol city centre at about 1.30am.
He was initially taken to hospital after officers found him with pre-existing injuries but is also now in police custody, a police spokesman said.
The spokesman added: “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, we’ve carried out a number of inquiries, including interviews with the victims and house-to-house inquiries, which have led to Armstrong being arrested on suspicion of committing this offence.”
A 39-year-old was charged with escaping the prison after being arrested in Bristol on Saturday and appeared before magistrates on Monday.
He will next appear before Bristol Crown Court in February.
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