10/06/2003

Police hunt two prisoners freed in armed attack on van

Two prisoners were on the run today after they were freed in an armed attack on a security van.

The attack occurred as the prisoners were being moved through south London from Brixton Prison to Inner London Crown Court in Southwark. Two men stopped the Securicor van outside the court building. The van driver was shot in the knee with a shotgun blast directed through the door of the van and a second security guard was pistol-whipped.

In all, three prisoners escaped from the van, but one of the men, Tony Peters, surrender to police later this afternoon.

The two prisoners still on the run are Noel Cunningham and Clifford Hobs - both men are in their 40s and are understood to be co-defendants on charges of theft and conspiracy who were due to appear in court today.

Following the incident the area was sealed off by police and all the day’s scheduled court cases had to be adjourned.

A second van transporting a third co-defendant in the case was turned back on news of the attack outside the court.

Police are continuing to hunt for the two fugitives who made off on foot after the van-break.

(SP)

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