Police appeal over robber who fled Lancashire court

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An appeal to trace a man wanted by Lancashire Police after he escaped from a court is to appear on the BBC's Crimewatch programme.

Andrew Moran, 25, from Salford, was on trial at Burnley Crown Court in March 2009 charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery when he fled.

He had been charged over a robbery at the Asda store in Colne in May 2005.

Moran is about 5ft 8in (1.73m) tall and has a Manchester accent. Police say he sometimes wears glasses.

While he was being remanded into custody by the judge, as the jury went out to consider its verdict, he assaulted a member of the security staff, vaulted over the dock and ran from the court building, Lancashire Police said.

The jury later returned a guilty verdict and he was convicted in his absence of conspiracy to commit armed robbery for which he is yet to be sentenced.

On 23 May 2005, a marked Royal Mail van was carrying out a collection from the Asda store in Colne.

One of the crew members was out of the vehicle passing the cash bags to a colleague inside when he was attacked by two men riding a motorcycle.

Armed robbery charge

They were armed with a handgun, machete and baseball bat, and hit the guard around the head and body inflicting serious injuries to his body and arm.

The guard inside the van handed over a significant amount of money when threats were made to kill his colleague.

The offenders then escaped on the motorcycle.

Later that day Moran, along with two other men, was charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

Det Insp Simon Cheyte, from Lancashire Police, said: "This is a very serious offence and we are determined to get Moran back before the courts to serve the time for his crime and I would urge anyone with any information as to his whereabouts to come forward and contact police."

The appeal will appear on BBC1's Crimewatch programme at 2100 BST.