Prisoner escapes G4S van after hospital visit

Police have launched a search for a prisoner who escaped from the custody of a private security firm around 2.15pm this afternoon.

A police helicopter was called to the scene after the man jumped from a G4S van whilst he was being returned to prison from a visit to St John’s Hospital in Livingston, West Lothian.

The prisoner’s identity has not been released at this time.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Prison Service said: “We are aware that an individual has escaped from the custody of G4S while on a hospital escort.

“We are assisting Police Scotland to apprehend them.”