Police warn public not to approach Mark Woolley, who was jailed for murder in 2001

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A convicted killer who ran over a woman after she tried to stop him stealing her handbag has gone on the run after being released from prison on licence.

Mark Woolley was jailed for life in 2001 and later ordered to serve a minimum of 16 years for the murder of Elizabeth Sherlock, a costume designer, at Euston station in London.

Police said he has not been seen since a probation meeting on 31 January. They warned the public not to approach him.

Woolley, a former heroin addict, was convicted at the Old Bailey of killing Sherlock after she chased his then girlfriend Jackie Moorehouse, who had stolen her bag. He was released from HMP Ranby in Nottinghamshire in November.

A Metropolitan police spokesman said: “He was last seen on 31 January at a probation meeting in Hackney and breached his conditions on 1 February.”

Woolley is 52 and described as 5ft 4ins, of slim build with greying hair. He has various tattoos and scars on his forehead, jaw and left ear.

Sherlock’s bag contained £20 in cash, a mobile phone and bank cards. It was snatched as she waited to catch a train to Wigan with her husband on Easter Sunday for her father’s birthday.

During the trial, the court heard Moorehouse got into Woolley’s car outside Euston station as Sherlock pursued her shouting “stop that thief – she’s got my bag”.

Sherlock jumped on the car and, as it sped off, hung on to the wiper blades, pleading for her life. But the car did not stop.

The designer was thrown into the air in front of the car and fell as it ran her over and sped off. She died in hospital from multiple injuries.

Both Woolley and Moorehouse had scores of previous convictions, mainly for drug-related dishonesty, and stole to fuel their heroin habit.

Moorehouse, then 24, was cleared of murder and manslaughter but jailed for three years after she admitted snatching Sherlock’s bag.