A convicted attempted murderer who walked out of an open prison earlier this week has been apprehended by police following a nationwide manhunt.
Dangerous Inmate Goes Missing
Kieran Cameron, 43, was reported missing from HMP Thorn Cross in Warrington, Cheshire, at 8.20pm on Tuesday. The Category D open prison is designed for inmates considered to be a low risk to the public. Cameron, however, was serving a substantial 23-year sentence for a horrific knife attack in Poole, Dorset, back in 2016.
During that brutal incident, a man in his 20s was stabbed ten times in the neck and stomach, requiring emergency surgery for his life-threatening injuries. Cameron was subsequently convicted and jailed for attempted murder.
Public Warning and Extensive Manhunt
Cheshire Police immediately launched a search operation to recapture the fugitive. The force issued a public warning, stating that Cameron had extensive links to Manchester, Liverpool, and Dorset. Members of the public were strongly advised not to approach him and to dial 999 immediately if spotted.
Detective Chief Inspector Nick Henderson, of the Cheshire Police Serious and Organised Crime Unit, had earlier appealed for help, stating: "We are appealing for the help of the public to trace Kieran Cameron, who is unlawfully at large after leaving HMP Thorn Cross in Warrington."
Arrest in Greater Manchester
The search concluded on Thursday evening when officers arrested Cameron in the Hulme area of Greater Manchester. He is now back in police custody.
This incident follows another high-profile prison escape just days earlier. On New Year's Day, convicted murderer Matthew Armstrong and inmate Daniel Washbourne absconded from HMP Leyhill, an open prison in Gloucestershire. Both men were arrested last week, alongside a third escapee who was caught earlier.
The recent escapes from open prisons have sparked renewed debate about security protocols and the risk assessment of inmates placed in such low-security facilities.
