A convicted murderer has gone on the run from prison for the THIRD time.

Arnold Pickering, 44, from Chadderton, failed to return to HMP Kennet in Maghull, Merseyside, after leaving the Category C jail on day release at about 9.30am on Saturday.

Pickering last absconded in December 2009 when he was let out on day release from HMP Kirkham to work on the bins in Manchester city centre.

He was one of eight prisoners taking part in a controversial scheme run by the Prison Service with Enterprise Manchester - which emptied the bins for Manchester Council at the time.

He handed himself in four days later in Motherwell, Scotland.

Pickering also escaped from Strangeways in Manchester in 1990, but was caught six hours later.

After he was released, he went on to stab a man to death in Oldham later the same year.

He was jailed in 1991 for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years.

Pickering had been risk assessed as suitable for temporary release on licence by the Ministry of Justice, said Merseyside Police.

Another inmate, Thomas Moffett, 51, from Blackburn, Lancashire, who is serving an indeterminate sentence for a number of robberies carried out in his home town in 2006, also failed to return from day release yesterday.

A spokesman for Merseyside Police said: “Both prisoners were due back at around 4.30pm on Saturday but failed to return and this was reported to Merseyside Police at around 7pm. Since then, officers have been carrying out extensive inquiries and working with partner agencies and other forces to locate them and return them to prison.

“It’s believed both men may be in the Southport area.

“The prisoners have both been risk assessed as suitable for temporary release on licence by the Ministry of Justice, although any member of the public who sees them is advised not to approach them but to call the police.”

Pickering is about 5ft 11in, of medium build and with blue eyes. He has tattoos on his arms and chest.

He reportedly targeted his 55-year-old victim, who was partially blind and deaf, in Oldham because of unfounded rumours he was a paedophile.

Moffett is about 5ft 10in, also of a medium build and with brown eyes.

He has a scar on his right knee and tattoos of swastikas on his arms.

Moffett committed six armed robberies on local off-licences as he armed himself with a nail gun.

He was sentenced in December 2006 to a minimum term of six years and 344 days for public protection.

Police are appealing to anyone with any information on either of the prisoners’ whereabouts to call Merseyside Police on either 0151 777 3803 or 0151 777 3891, or via 101.

By Neil Docking, Liverpool Echo.

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