Violent fugitive dubbed ‘The Runner Man’ has sentence extended

Violent fugitive dubbed ‘The Runner Man’ after 13 years evading capture has sentence extended.

ROBBER Ambrose Nicholas O’Neill went on the run after viciously an antique dealer.

Dubbed ‘The Running Man’ by the national media because of his ability to evade capture, O’Neill threatened to kill a 67-year-old man in a terrifying robbery in Seagrave, Leicestershire, in February 2007.

Now aged 42, O’Neill knocked on the victim’s front door posing as a pizza delivery man before pushing him over and punching him in the face.

He demanded the victim open his safe before leaving empty-handed.

Following his arrest, O’Neill attended the first day of his trial at Leicester Crown Court in July 2008 but then failed to turn up for the rest of the case and despite being sentenced in his absence to eight years in prison in December 2008 he had yet to serve any time – until now.

He was finally locked up last month thanks to tenacious Nottinghamshire Police officers who “made it a personal battle to bring him to justice”.

O’Neill was taken straight to prison to start his eight-year term and has now been given an extra eight months after pleading guilty to failing to appear in court during a hearing at Leicester Crown Court.

The violent prisoner was finally brought to book on January 22, 2021, after PC James Gill, an award-winning officer commended in 2019 for his dedication to catching wanted criminals – even in his spare time – picked up O’Neill’s case and made it his mission to get him in cuffs.

PC Gill put in hours of dedicated work, including working extended hours in his free time, to follow up every thread of intelligence.

Recently he was also supported by another officer who works in covert local intelligence and efforts were stepped up as they homed in on their target following a Crimestoppers tip-off-

Chief Superintendent Rob Griffin, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “It was thanks to excellent work and dogged determination of our officers who went above and beyond in hunting for O’Neill and getting him arrested.

“This was a nasty attack and I’m delighted that all the hard work paid off and that we were able to finally get justice for the victims.

“After evading justice for so long I am pleased that O’Neill will now be staying behind bars for longer and will now have even more time to reflect on his violent behaviour.”

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