A have-a-go hero is hailed for his bravery after he rugby-tackled a prisoner who tried to escape during a trip to hospital
The con was floored when he slipped free of his escort and made a dash across hospital grounds
A have-a-go hero rugby tackled a prisoner trying to escape from a hospital trip.
The man grabbed the inmate as he was being chased by officers outside Velindre Hospital in South Wales.
The inmate had been taken to the hospital from nearby Parc prison for on-going cancer treatment.
He slipped from the ‘escort chain’ being used by two prison officers to hold him secure.
The lag sprinted into the hospital grounds followed by the guards, who shouted warnings.
A member of the public grabbed the inmate, who was bundled to the ground with the help of officers.
Head of security at HMP Parc, Lisa Brunton, said:“A prisoner attempted to escape custody while receiving medical treatment at Velindre Hospital in south Wales on 7 February 2017.
“Thanks to the action of our escorting team and a quick-thinking member of the public, the prisoner was quickly re-apprehended and returned to HMP Parc.
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“We are conducting a review of how this happened and the prisoner has been referred to local police.”
The inmate, who is serving a sentence for actual bodily harm, was returned to the jail in Brigend, Mid Glamorgan.
He has been moved to the Care and Separation Unit and put on the escape list.
The prisoner had been scheduled for release in July next year.
Parc is a category B jail and young offenders institute holding 1,336 inmates.
It is run by private firm G4S.