Escaped Prisoner Recaptured at Pontin’s Holiday Camp
A prisoner that cut off part of his own ear in order to escape from an ambulance has been recaptured. Michael O’Donnell, age 29, was being placed back into custody at HMP Forest Bank when he used a razor to cut part of his ear off while sitting in his cell. His brother was sharing a cell with him during the incident.
On May 2, O’Donnell was being taken to Hope Hospital when the ambulance was held up by masked men on the way. A stolen BMW pulled out in front of the ambulance, making it stop on Agecroft Road. Then the 4 masked men attacked the ambulance with bolt cutters and baseball bats. They were then able to help O’Donnell escape the clutches of 3 prison guards.
Just last Friday, O’Donnell was found and arrested again at a Pontin’s holiday camp in Southport on suspicion of running from lawful custody. During his arrest, a 24-year-old and 52-year-old were also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy in assisting a prisoner to escape from authorities. Police have also found the BMW, which was actually stolen on April 30 in a burglary in Levenshulme. It had been abandoned near Lumbs Lane.
While on remand at HMP Forest Bank, O’Donnell was awaiting sentencing for conspiracy to convert stolen property in relation to a car cloning crime ring, for which it’s thought he is the ringleader. He was facing up to 10 years, but it may be more now. He is the third prisoner to escape from Forest Bank in 5 years, and an investigation has been launched into what happened.