Leigh BoobyerWest of England
Avon and Somerset Police
Matthew Armstrong (left) and Daniel Washbourne absconded from prison on Thursday
A convicted murderer is one of two inmates on the run from police after absconding from prison on New Year’s Day.
Matthew Armstrong, who was convicted in the late-2000s of a murder which happened during a robbery in Warwickshire, left HMP Leyhill in South Gloucestershire along with Daniel Washbourne who has previous convictions for violence.
Avon and Somerset Police said they are believed to have left the open prison at a time between 17:00 and 20:00 GMT on 1 January.
The force said they are not from the local area, and have links to various parts of the country. Members of the public are urged to call 999 immediately if they see them.
Police handout
Armstrong was last seen on New Year’s Day wearing a burgundy or orange coat
A third man who is suspected of absconding at the same time was arrested in Bristol on Saturday.
Open prisons have “minimal security and allow eligible prisoners to spend most of their day away from the prison on licence to carry out work, education or for other resettlement purposes”, according to the Ministry of Justice.
HMP Leyhill has an operational capacity of about 825 inmates.
Police have released CCTV footage showing what the men were wearing on New Year’s Day.
Armstrong, 35, was last seen wearing a burgundy or orange coat, grey cap, grey tracksuit suit bottoms with blue on the side, and black boots.
He is described as white, male, about 5ft 9ins, with ginger hair and scars on his forehead.
Police said he has known links to Warwickshire.
Police handout
Washbourne was last seen wearing a cream fleece
Washbourne, 40, is described as white, male, about 5ft 6ins, slim, with brown hair and clean shaven.
He was last seen wearing a cream coloured fleece, blue tracksuit bottoms, blue hat and black trainers. He has known links to Herefordshire.
Police said officers understand he has previous convictions for violence against a person offences and false imprisonment.
HMP Leyhill reported the absconders to the force on Thursday evening, and police attended the prison at about 21:45 GMT to start carrying out enquiries.
“Urgent actions” have been completed, police said, “including circulating the men as wanted via national police systems”.
Intelligence work to trace the men’s movements is ongoing and other police forces have checked linked addresses but not found them.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Absconding is a serious criminal offence, and any prisoner who commits this crime could face longer behind bars.
“The police are working urgently to recapture these individuals, and we urge anyone with information to go to the police.”