Video: Derbyshire Police appeals for help catching prison absconders

The men either absconded from, or failed to return to, Sudbury open prison in Derbyshire between 1992 and 2006, at a time before the force made public appeals to help find absconders.

Assistant Chief Constable Martyn Bates said: “We’re asking the public to help us track down these men.

“We are doing everything possible to trace and arrest these outstanding prisoners and we have recently reviewed our processes. We have also increased dedicated resources to further improve our success but these men have eluded all our efforts to trace them.

“The men did not previously live in Derbyshire and they committed offences elsewhere. They could now be anywhere, living under different names, which is why we’re making this public appeal. We realise that the men are likely to have changed significantly since these photographs were taken but we hope the public will be able to give us information that will help us to make arrests.”

One of the men was serving a life sentence for murder, two for wounding and five were serving sentences for drug offences. The other four were imprisoned for handling offences, burglary and fraud or deception. Sudbury is an open prison and all the men have been deemed suitable for those conditions by prison authorities.

Since 2007, Derbyshire police have issued photographs and appeals to the public each time a prisoner has left the prison unlawfully.

Twelve men who have left the prison since then are still at large and the force is also now reissuing their photographs and details.

ACC Bates added: “We work closely with the prison authorities to try to reduce the number of absconders but security of the prison is a matter for the Ministry of Justice.

“Anyone who knows these men or who knows where they are ring should contact the police or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Prisoners who absconded or failed to return 1992 - 2006

Delroy Howe (45) failed to return to the prison from temporary leave on December 29, 1992. He was serving seven years’ imprisonment for drug offences having been convicted on July 30, 1990 at Croydon Crown Court. He was described as black, 5’ 8” tall, with brown eyes and black hair. He is known to have lived in the Birmingham and Slough areas.

Michael Ashworth (54) failed to return from temporary leave on April 23, 1995. He was convicted on March 29, 1994 and was serving five years’ imprisonment for drug offences. He is white and 5’ 7” tall. He is from the Clitheroe and Colne areas of Lancashire.

Albert Squires (48) absconded on March 27, 1996. He was convicted on January 12,1996 at Northampton Crown Court and was serving two years six months’ imprisonment for handling, attempt theft and dangerous driving offences. He was described as being white, 5’ 7” tall, of fat build, blue eyes and brown hair. He is from the Leicester area.

Raymond Lenihan (57) absconded on May 7, 1997. He was serving a life sentence for murder. He was convicted on November 18, 1977 at Leicester Crown Court. He was described as being white, 5’ 11” tall, was of slim build, has blue eyes and had brown hair. He is from the Birmingham area.

Leslie Warden (58) failed to return to the prison from temporary leave on March 28, 1998. He had been convicted at Harrow Crown Court on November 28, 1995 for wounding, handling and deception offences and was serving a sentence of five years six months’ imprisonment. He was described as white, 5’ 9” tall, of small build, with blue eyes and brown hair. He had a northern accent but was living in the London area.

Dutch national Frank Knochel (49) failed to return to the prison on February 12, 2000 following a period of temporary leave. He was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on September 2, 1998 for an offence of being knowingly concerned in the importation of controlled drugs. He was described as white, 5’11” tall, with a muscular build, blue eyes and ginger hair.

Christopher Crookshank (59) failed to return to the prison on October 22, 2001 following a period of temporary release. He had been convicted on May 18, 2000 at Sheffield Crown Court and was serving a sentence of four years three months for deception offences. He was described as white, 6’ tall, of stocky build, with blue eyes and thinning and greying ginger hair. He is from the Nottingham area but had previously lived in the Sheffield area and had friends in the Long Eaton area of Derbyshire.

James Joseph John Joyce (42) absconded from the prison on April 21, 2003. He was convicted on December 23, 1999 at Mold Crown Court for drug offences and was serving a seven year sentence. He was described as white, 5’ 11” tall, of slim build, with blue eyes and dark brown hair. He has an Irish accent. He has numerous tattoos particularly on his fingers and hands. He is from the Huddersfield area and also has links to the County Dublin area.

Paul Robert Thomas, also known as Thompson, (46) absconded on September 26, 2003. He was serving a two year sentence for burglary having been convicted at Preston Crown Court on July 28, 2003. He was described as white, 5’ 8” tall, of broad build, with green eyes and curly black hair. He has a Manchester accent and a three inch scar above his left eyebrow. He is from the Shrewsbury area but has previously lived in the Chester and Carlisle areas. He also has links with Southern Spain.

John Barlow (39) failed to return from temporary leave on May 8, 2004. He was convicted on March 1, 2002 at Chester Crown Court and was serving a five year prison sentence for wounding with intent. He was described as white, 6’ tall, with brown eyes and brown eyes. He is from the Chester area and has links to the Wirral.

Sylvester Patterson (38) failed to return from temporary leave on February 25, 2006. He had been convicted on July 4, 2002 at Oxford Crown Court and was serving nine years’ imprisonment for drug supply. He is black, 5’ 8” tall, with brown eyes, black hair and a two inch scar in the middle of his left cheek. He has a Jamaican accent and is from the Romford area of Essex but also has links to London and Oxford.

Suleman Tahir (44) absconded on December 5, 2006. He was sentenced at Manchester City Crown Court on January 26, 2006 to three years’ imprisonment for fraud offences. He was described as Asian, 5’ 8’’ tall, of medium build, with black hair and brown eyes. He wore glasses and had a northern accent. He is from the Salford area of Manchester.