SEVEN men have been remanded in custody after appearing in court in connection with the escape of a prisoner charged with murder.
John Anslow 32, of Tipton, West Midlands, has been on the run since a prison van taking him to court was ambushed by masked offenders near HMP Hewell in Redditch in January last year.
He is wanted over the 2010 murder of Richard Deakin in Chasetown, Staffordshire.
The men were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to assist in his escape and charged last week.
They appeared at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Friday and were remanded in custody. They will next appear at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, March 15.
Two of the arrests were made in Birmingham, two in Dudley, and one in Redditch.
The two remaining suspects were already in custody at the time of their arrest.
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