A SOLICITOR was released uninjured yesterday after police stormed an
interview room at a magistrates' court and seized a man accused of two
murders.
Mr Alistair Harper had been held at Lancaster for 21 hours before he
was released just before 10am when specially trained officers rushed
into the basement room and overpowered Mr Terrence Clifton.
Superintendent Ivan Howarth told a news conference outside the court:
''It was always our strategy to negotiate a peaceful release. That was
the way it was going to go until the situation became very delicate. We
decided it was appropriate to take another form of action. We put in a
specially trained unit of three men to effect Mr Harper's release.
''He has been released and he has no injuries. But he is obviously
very shaken. He has had a horrendous time in there.''
Mr Howarth said the three officers who stormed the interview room were
members of the Operation Support Unit. They had not been armed but were
trained in ''rapid entry'' techniques.
Mr Clifton, of no fixed address, was not believed to have been badly
injured apart from being winded. Mr Howarth said Mr Clifton was believed
to have been armed with three ''weapons'' -- a pen, a radio aerial, and
a sharp metal instrument.
''An inquiry is under way to see how he got hold of them,'' he said.
The drama began shortly after 1pm on Thursday when Mr Clifton, who is
a convert to Islam, was being interviewed by Mr Harper, 42, before a
remand appearance.
He is accused of murdering garage owner Mr Antonio Marrocco, 48, and
his business partner, Mr Paul Sandham, 28, in nearby Morecambe in
January. Mr Marrocco was found battered and stabbed to death in his
garage on January 24. Hours later, Mr Sandham's body was found in a
field. He had been stabbed more than 30 times.
Mr Howarth said Mr Clifton had threatened his solicitor during the
siege but it was not known what had prompted the incident.
Minutes before the drama ended, police said Mr Harper was ''bearing up
very well'', adding: ''He appears to be tired but coherent''.
Trained negotiators had been in touch with Mr Clifton and a Muslim
holy man was called in at Mr Clifton's request.
Mr Clifton, who had been brought from Walton Prison, Liverpool, is
understood to have been searched at the prison and when he arrived at
court. The ''sharp instrument'' is believed to have been the metal
binder from a document file.
Lancashire's assistant chief constable, Mr David Smith, said later
that officers moved into the interview room shortly before 10am.
''They overpowered the prisoner. The successful outcome was that Mr
Harper was released without harm to either of them. Mr Harper was shaken
by his ordeal.''
Later, Mr Harper was interviewed at a nearby police station but
declined to speak to reporters about his experience.
Mr Smith said: ''He does not feel able to speak to you directly. But
he has asked me to express his appreciation of the efforts of the police
and prison service in securing his release. His demeanour during his
ordeal has been exemplary.
''I wish to pay tribute to the calm way he disported himself. This was
a factor in bringing this to a successful resolution.''
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