£10,000 reward in hunt for fugitive John Anslow

A £10,000 reward was offered this afternoon for information leading to the capture of a suspected killer sprung in a prison van ambush.

Police today released a picture of the getaway car used in the meticulously planned escape of Black Country prisoner John Anslow.

A Government inquiry was also launched today into how he was freed.

Anslow fled in a "well-orchestrated armed ambush" yesterday morning – minutes after leaving HMP Hewell Grange near Bromsgrove.

The prison van was forced to a halt by a gang of masked men driving a high-powered silver Volkswagen Scirocco, pictured right, in front of it.

The three men then smashed the windows with sledgehammers and punched the driver in the face, before springing 31-year-old Anslow from the back. They sped off before switching to a silver Mercedes with the partial registration KR11, in Stoney Lane, Bromsgrove, soon after the attack.

The Tipton prisoner, charged with the murder of a Staffordshire father, is the first Category A inmate to escape from custody in almost two decades.

Secretary of State for Justice Kenneth Clarke said: "This was a serious criminal incident involving a well-orchestrated armed ambush.

The first priority is to ensure that this man is quickly found and arrested.

"I have ordered a full inquiry into how this happened, including the security categorisation and management of the prisoner, so that we can learn lessons for the future."

Armed police hunting the on-the-run murder suspect last night raided five homes in Tipton and arrested one 44-year-old man in connection with the escape. He remained in police custody this afternoon.

Staffordshire Police this afternoon confirmed that a reward was now being offered for information leading to the capture of Anslow.

All airports and railway stations have been put on alert with Anslow – whose nickname is Skitz – now at the centre of an international manhunt.

Anslow, who is one of five men charged with the murder of Richard Deakin, was on his way to Stafford Crown Court when he was sprung from the van at 8.20am.

It has emerged the suspected killer was with other inmates in a van run by a private contractor instead of a high-security prison service van with a police escort.

Category A status is reserved for those prisoners whose escape would be highly dangerous to the public, police or security – and for whom the aim is to make escape impossible.

Anslow is the first such prisoner to escape since 1995 when Matthew Williams, serving a life sentence for planting a bomb, was among three men who escaped from Parkhurst jail on the Isle of Wight.

Richard Deakin, aged 27, was shot twice at his family home in Meadway Street Chasetown, at 8.10am on July 5, 2010.

Officers describe Anslow as "extremely dangerous" and reminded members of the public not to approach him.

Mr Deakin's family from Cheslyn Hay were today said to be "shocked".

Related stories:

• Murder victim Richard Deakin's mother tells of fears

• Suspect killer on the loose after prison van ambush

• Chasetown family's plea to find Richard Deakin's killer