Two guilty over murder suspect John Anslow's prison van escape
Two men are facing jail after being found guilty of conspiring to help murder suspect John Anslow escape his prison van.
Anslow was sprung from the van by balaclava-clad men wielding sledgehammers and a shotgun. The 33-year-old, from Tipton, had been en route to Stafford Crown Court when he was sprung free on January 23 last year.
Moments before, he had left HMP Hewell, near Redditch in Worcestershire, with a smuggled mobile phone after prison guards failed to perform full checks.
Six people have been on trial accused of conspiring to free Anslow, who later fled abroad and is suspected of the murder of a Staffordshire man.
Yesterday, Stuart Reid, 52, of Church Lane, Coventry, and Robert Riddell, 41, of Flamborough Close, Hodge Hill, Birmingham, were convicted by a jury at Woolwich Crown Court.
Ben O'Reilly, 30, of Austin Croft, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, was discharged after being found not guilty of the same charge.
Jurors were today continuing deliberations on Anslow's partner Samantha Glover, 27, of Parkes Lane, Tipton, Daniel Morgan, 29, of Parkeston Crescent, Kingstanding, Birmingham, and
Craig Wright, 29, of no fixed address. All deny conspiracy to assist Anslow to escape.
Anslow, who has admitted conspiring to escape from custody, was arrested in north Cyprus on March 14 this year and deported to the UK.
Paul Cadby, 47, of Woodcote Road, Erdington, Birmingham, Luke Hazel, 24, formerly of Hockley, Birmingham, Moysha Shepherd, 23, of Hamstead Road, Great Barr, and Ryan Powell, 21, of Shenstone Road, Ladywood, Birmingham, have already admitted conspiring to free Anslow.
