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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Police recapture escaped killer | Police recapture escaped killer |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A convicted murderer who escaped from prison guards during a hospital visit has been recaptured. | A convicted murderer who escaped from prison guards during a hospital visit has been recaptured. |
| George McGeoch threatened security staff and disappeared from Perth Royal Infirmary on Tuesday afternoon. | George McGeoch threatened security staff and disappeared from Perth Royal Infirmary on Tuesday afternoon. |
| It has been claimed that he locked two Reliance officers in their van and that police had to free them from the vehicle when they arrived at the scene. | |
| Tayside Police said the 36-year-old had been arrested after being spotted by a patrol at 0730 GMT in Perth. | |
| McGeoch, who is serving a life sentence for offences including murder and abduction, had been attending a planned appointment when he escaped. | McGeoch, who is serving a life sentence for offences including murder and abduction, had been attending a planned appointment when he escaped. |
| The Scottish Prison Service said it had launched an investigation. | |
| Police described the arrest as "pretty smooth", given the high-risk nature of the prisoner. | Police described the arrest as "pretty smooth", given the high-risk nature of the prisoner. |
| The urgent inquiry into his escape must answer such questions as whether he was handcuffed and if not, why not Bill AitkenConservative justice spokesman | The urgent inquiry into his escape must answer such questions as whether he was handcuffed and if not, why not Bill AitkenConservative justice spokesman |
| Insp Alistair Black said McGeoch, from Glasgow, had been spotted at the junction of Dunkeld Road and Gowans Terrace. | Insp Alistair Black said McGeoch, from Glasgow, had been spotted at the junction of Dunkeld Road and Gowans Terrace. |
| "He was coming up to the junction and the police patrol sighted him. Basically, they challenged him and he was arrested." | "He was coming up to the junction and the police patrol sighted him. Basically, they challenged him and he was arrested." |
| McGeoch was jailed for life at the High Court in Inverness in April 1999 for murdering Eric Innes, 61. He was sentenced to a minimum of 13 years. | McGeoch was jailed for life at the High Court in Inverness in April 1999 for murdering Eric Innes, 61. He was sentenced to a minimum of 13 years. |
| Roseanna Cunningham, SNP MSP for Perth, said the incident raised a number of questions. | |
| She said: "Tayside Police are to be congratulated on the speed with which he was recaptured and particular thanks must go to the officers on patrol who spotted and apprehended him. | |
| McGeoch was on a planned visit to Perth Royal Infirmary | |
| "But the bottom line is that he should not have been allowed to escape in the first place. | |
| "Now that he is safely behind bars the attention of the authorities must turn to investigating the circumstances of his escape. | |
| "Once more, this situation calls into question the reliability of Reliance and raises the question of whether it is appropriate or desirable for a private security company to be responsible for escorting criminals like this." | |
| Conservative justice spokesman Bill Aitken said: "The public will wonder how it is physically possible for such escapes to happen and how easily lives can be put at risk. | Conservative justice spokesman Bill Aitken said: "The public will wonder how it is physically possible for such escapes to happen and how easily lives can be put at risk. |
| "The urgent inquiry into his escape must answer such questions as whether he was handcuffed and, if not, why not?" | "The urgent inquiry into his escape must answer such questions as whether he was handcuffed and, if not, why not?" |
| McGeoch is due at Perth Sheriff Court on Thursday. |