A convicted murdered who escaped from jail in Lancashire has been caught by police in Scotland. Paul Gerrard absconded from HMP Kirkham in December 2022, after being caged for life in 2009.
The 40-year-old was located in Irvine, Ayrshire, on Tuesday, following enquiries from Cheshire’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit. He has now been taken into custody.
Gerrard was jailed for the brutal murder of David Argent, 29, who was vulnerable and had learning difficulties, in Runcorn. The Liverpool Echo reports Gerrard was convicted alongside Gerrard Harper after they lured Mr Argent to a flat in Castlefields in July 2008 and beat him unconscious.
Friends of Mr Argent tried to warn him not to go before he was brutally attacked by Gerrard and Harper, who punched him to the ground and stamped on his head.
The 29-year-old, who grew up in Netherley, Liverpool, had been the victim of a campaign of intimidation before the vicious assault. He remained in a coma for eight months in hospital before he died.
Detective Chief Inspector Ian Murray, of Cheshire Constabulary’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: “Gerrard is a dangerous individual and I welcome the fact that the is now back behind bars where he belongs.
“I’d like to thank all of the officers involved in this manhunt for their dedication, going well beyond the boundaries of Cheshire to keep our communities safe.”
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