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Escaped prisoner assaults police officer and jumps on tube after fleeing from prison van
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It's one thing to slip police while out of prison, another to escape onboard a train and punch a cop in the face.
One prisoner has managed to do just that after absconding from custody while in a prison transport van.
Video shows Kwami Richards attacking a plain clothes officer in a tube station before running away. He then escaped by boarding a train.
Police have now warned the public not to approach Richards, 42, as they try to locate him following his escape, and instead to call 999 if they see him.
With all the cameras and security on the London Underground, it doesn't seem like the easiest place to escape unnoticed.
Richards had previously been in prison for burglary and had been released on licence.
It's the usual practice for prisoners to serve half their sentence in custody before being released on licence. However, Richards breached the conditions of his, meaning that he would be immediately recalled to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence in custody.
The video shows a plain clothes officer holding Richards by the wrist on the platform at Brixton Underground Station. He can be heard to tell Richards to come with him, saying 'there's police upstairs, there's no point'.
However, at that moment Richards lashes out at the officer. There is a brief scuffle before Richards takes off down the platform, with the officer in hot pursuit.
A statement released by police confirmed that Richards had managed to board a train on the Victoria Line.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: "Officers are appealing for information about the whereabouts of a man who escaped from custody in south London.
"Kwami Richards escaped from a prison transport van outside Brixton police station at approximately 2pm on Friday, May 26.
"The 42-year-old, who has links to Wandsworth, was wanted on recall to prison for breaching his licence conditions after serving a sentence for burglary.
"He had been arrested by Met officers and was in the process of being transported to prison by a private security company when the incident occurred.
"He was pursued by a police officer who witnessed the incident into Brixton Underground station.
"The officer was assaulted as he attempted to detain Richards who then boarded a Victoria line train.
"Richards should not be approached, and the public is asked to call 999 immediately if he is seen."
Anyone with any information about Richards' location should call 101 or tweet @MetCC quoting CAD 4140/26 May, or provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
