John Laidlaw
A MANHUNT is underway for an attempted murderer who escaped prison while working as a car valet.
John Laidlaw, 44, absconded from Kirklevington Grange Prison this afternoon, as cops frantically try to track him down.
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John Laidlaw Credit: Cleveland Police
Laidlaw works in the car valeting service at the prison, which is open to the public.
He went missing shortly after 2pm following his shift at the jail.
Laidlaw was last seen wearing a navy blue sweatshirt, blue cargo style trousers and white and blue trainers.
Laidlaw, from Hertfordshire, was convicted of three attempted murders and sent to prison in 2007.
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He was moved to Kirklevington Prison in 2024, where he has recently been on unsupervised day release on a regular basis.
Superintendent John Wrintmore, said: “John Laidlaw was reported missing to Cleveland Police at around 4.30pm today.
“We have officers and dogs doing land searches around the area of the prison, and we have deployed the drone as we continue our efforts to locate him.
“We are also quickly working through CCTV footage and conducting numerous lines of enquiry.
“John is not from the area, so at the moment we have no indication where he may be headed, or if he may have travelled from Yarm train station, either North or South.
“Whilst I understand there may be concerns amongst people in the local area, I can say we do know John has regularly been on day release from the prison, unsupervised.
“Anyone who thinks they might have seen John is asked not to approach him, but to dial 999.”
