World's most successful prison fugitive has been on the run for 60 years

The world's most successful fugitive, who climbed over the walls of a Dorset prison using knotted bedsheets, has now been on the run for 60 years.

John Patrick Hannan holds the record for the longest escape from custody after he escaped from Verne Prison, in Portland, in December 1955.

He was 22 at the time of his breakout and has now notched up six decades at large, despite repeated police appeals.

"If you read this Mr Hannan please write in, we'd love to hear from you"

Dorset Police newsletter

Although he is technically still a wanted man, Dorset Police gave up actively searching for Hannan almost 20 years ago after its last high-profile appeal yielded no results.
Although it has not been confirmed that he is still alive, Hannan would now be aged 81 and is believed to be living in his home country of Ireland.

His time as a fugitive easily eclipses some of Britain's most notorious prisoners' efforts, such as the late train robber Ronnie Biggs who spent 32 years on the run before giving himself up.
The previous world record for the longest prison escape, of 45 years and 11 months, was held by Leonard Frisco from Nevada. However, this was broken by Hannan in 2001.

Hannan was sentenced to 21 months in prison at the Old Bailey in 1955 for car theft and assaulting two police officers.
But, along with fellow inmate Gwynant Thomas, he scaled the prison walls using knotted sheets. The pair broke into a nearby petrol station and took overcoats, beer and cigarettes before fleeing the Isle of Portland.

Thomas, also 22 at the time, was arrested within 16 hours near Dorchester after the pair were spotted by a lorry driver.
However, Hannan evaded a major police manhunt - complete with a series of roadblocks and tracker dogs - to make his way to freedom. It is believed he travelled back to his native Ireland soon after his escape.

In 1998, Dorset Police appealed directly to Hannan to give himself up. In a force newsletter, officers said: "If you read this Mr Hannan please write in, we'd love to hear from you."
A Dorset Police spokesman said they were no longer actively searching for Hannan, but would treat any information about his whereabouts with "considerable interest".

When he escaped, Hannan was described as white, 5ft 7ins, with brown hair, blue eyes and proportionate build.

Telegraph UK