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Convicted murderer Shaun Walmsley was serving a life sentence when he escaped from prison guards during a hospital visit in Liverpool.

The 28-year-old fled from prison officers at Fazakerley hospital at around 3.05pm on Tuesday, February 21.

As Walmsley and the prison officers were getting into a car two men threatened officers with a gun and a knife before escaping in a gold-coloured Volvo.

Walmsley, originally of Wallace Street, Walton , was serving a minimum 30-year sentence at HMP Liverpool for his part - along with three others - in the brutal killing of Anthony Duffy.

Almost a month later police offered £20,000 of his OWN money as a reward for information.

So just who is Shaun Walmsley?

Anthony Duffy was “repeatedly and brutally stabbed”

Anthony Duffy was stabbed to death near train tracks known as the “loop line” in Aintree after rivals learned of his plan to steal their cannabis in May 2014.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how Duffy, a cannabis and cocaine dealer, was “brazen enough” to try and steal Christopher Kenny and Shaun Walmsley’s £60,000 crop because he was annoyed they were putting pressure on his cousin over a drug debt.

Mr Duffy, 33, had enlisted career burglar John Derek Hore , 55, who betrayed him to killers, Shaun Walmsley and Christopher Kenny.

Anthony Duffy was “repeatedly and brutally stabbed” by Walmsley and Kenny, suffering 28 wounds and later died from his injuries in hospital.

Walmsley regarded himself as “untouchable”

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The judge said Walmsley and Kenny both regarded themselves as “untouchable” and planned with Hore for Duffy “to be delivered up as their prey”.

Hore told Duffy to come and collect the cannabis on the Loop Line path off Greenwich Road.

As part of their plan, Walmsley and Kenny brought bags of grass cuttings to the scene.

Kirk Mello, 31, supplied them with a large knife and a gun with a silencer, which they test-fired in front of Hore.

During the trial, the court heard that Hore may not have known they intended to kill Duffy, but he knew “they would teach him a lesson he would never forget”.

Witness recounts how Duffy was stabbed to death while lying on top of him

During the eight-week trial, a woman relived the harrowing moments when Duffy was stabbed to death in front of her in Melling Avenue.

She said Duffy ran up to her begging for help before two men emerged armed with a 10-inch carving knife and a black instrument, which may have been a gun and looked like “a truncheon”.

The witness said her boyfriend initially thought she was being attacked by Duffy and ran over to stop him.

Her partner ended up on the ground beneath the victim as he was stabbed to death by Kenny and Walmsley.

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Walmsley is described as: white, 6ft tall and of slim build with dark brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing dark bottoms and a dark jacket.

An investigation into the full circumstances of the incident is ongoing and Merseyside Police is working with the Ministry of Justice and other forces across the country to establish Walmsley’s whereabouts so that he can be returned to prison.

Detectives are advising the public not to approach Walmsley if they see him, as he could be in the company of the others who helped him escape and they are believed to be armed. Walmsley himself is also described as dangerous.

Officers would ask anyone who has seen Walmsley, or knows where he is, to contact the police on 999, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.