The man who fled the dock at Liverpool Crown Court and remains at large was convicted following a bizarre assault case involving a rugby ball.
The ECHO revealed yesterday, Tuesday, January 4 that Nicholas Bunclark had leapt from the dock following his conviction on an assault charge and escaped from the court building. Bunclark was handed 16 months behind bars after being convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The 30-year-old, St Oswald's Lane, Netherton, appeared at court following an incident in a hostel in Southport on November 19 2021. The Guardian reported Bunclark was part of a group of three who had woken the victim by throwing a rugby ball in his face.
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They then followed the victim down to the hostel's reception and punched him, rendering him unconscious. The victim, Connor Wilson, suffered a fractured cheekbone. The court heard in his victim impact statement that he had moved out of Merseyside after the attack, and his mental health had suffered.
Judge Garrett Byrne said Bunclark had a history of breaching court orders and there was "no realistic prospect" of rehabilitation. Bunclark held his head in his hands after learning his sentence. But after a brief interaction with his mum in the public gallery he vaulted the gate out of the unsecured dock.
Despite a brief tussle with officers he managed to escape the courtroom. It was initially thought he had remained within the building, but it's believed he absconded in the immediate aftermath. A heightened security presence was seen around the courts afterwards and several other cases were adjourned.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed on Tuesday evening that Bunclark remained at large and said that such breaches of its "strict security measures" were "extremely rare". A HM Courts and Tribunals Service spokesman said: "The strict security measures we have in place ensure escapes from court custody are extremely rare, and our staff and the police are now working together to recapture the offender."
Merseyside Police confirmed to the ECHO this morning that Bunclark was still at large. The force shared his mugshot along with an appeal to track down the wanted man.
A spokesperson said: "Officers are appealing for help in locating a man who has fled the dock at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday, January 3, after being jailed. Nicholas Bunclark, from Liverpool, was sentenced to 16 months for assault at Liverpool Crown Court this afternoon.
"If you see him, recognise him or know where he is, contact us via @MerPolCC on Twitter, Merseyside Police Contact Centre on Facebook or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 with reference 369 of Tuesday, January 3."
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