Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Abigail Nicholson

Most wanted man caught in Spain after 7 years on the run

One of the UK's most wanted men has been caught by Spanish police after being on the run for seven years.

Mark Francis Roberts, 29, was arrested on Wednesday, May 10 in Estepona, Malaga, in an intelligence-led operation involving the National Crime Agency, Guardia Civil and Merseyside Police. Roberts was discovered in southern Spain and was identified and arrested by Guardia Civil officers.

Roberts, whose last known address was Freehold Street, Fairfield, remains in custody awaiting extradition proceedings. He was wanted by Merseyside Police for alleged grievous bodily harm and the attempted robbery of a man’s £60,000 Richard Mille watch.

READ MORE: Sex assault suspect named after incident in house

The victim was attacked by two men with a blade at around 1.30am on September, 30, 2016 after he parked his car on his own driveway. The victim refused to surrender his watch and suffered life-threatening injuries.

He was treated in a critical care unit for puncture wounds, a collapsed lung and many lacerations. Roberts featured in a Most Wanted campaign run by the NCA, independent charity Crimestoppers and Spanish law enforcement which targeted fugitives with links to Spain and the Canary Islands.

He is the eighth fugitive to be arrested from the campaign – six men remain on the run.

Steve Reynolds, NCA regional manager in Spain, said: “Roberts’s arrest came about after a sustained campaign to trace him and some great work by the Guardia Civil. This is another excellent result and shows once again that UK law enforcement does not give up on finding those who await justice in the UK.

“Working closely with our colleagues at home and abroad, such as our highly valued Spanish partners, we will continue to hunt those on the run.”

Detective Inspector Katie Coote of Merseyside Police said: “I hope this arrest shows that there is no hiding place for anyone who is evading police. Thanks to our ongoing work with National Crime Agency Roberts has been located and is now in police custody.

“These actions with our partners across the UK and beyond are about stopping anyone who could cause fear and harm in our community and we will leave no stone unturned no matter the length of time to find people who are wanted in connection with ongoing investigations or offences.”

Lord Ashcroft, founder and chair of Crimestoppers, said: “I am delighted that another fugitive has finally been caught and will no longer be able to avoid justice. Our Most Wanted campaign with the NCA – supported by the excellent work of Spanish law enforcement – has been an incredible success.

“Should you know the whereabouts of any other Most Wanted fugitives, please contact the charity Crimestoppers on freephone 0800 555 111 or fill out an online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org. You’ll stay 100% anonymous. Always.”

READ NEXT: Huge gaming venue opens in Liverpool with PlayStations, XBox and racing simulators

Met Office issue urgent thunderstorm warning for Liverpool

Sophie Ellis-Bextor's four word Eurovision message to Liverpool after kitchen disco

Spider-Man live concert show coming to Liverpool Philharmonic

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.