One of Hampshire’s most wanted criminals has finally been locked up.

Wayne Jackson had been on the run after torturing a Southampton grandad.

He was a member of a gang who smashed their way into the home of Robert Warren, who was lying naked in bed in his St Denys flat.

The gang, who believed he had a large amount of cash and other valuables, tortured him before his screaming alerted neighbours.

The trio fled but ringleader Gary West was caught in Southampton. A second man, Anthony Derby, escaped to Liverpool, where he was arrested hiding in his loft.

Jackson remained on the run for about 18 months despite a nationwide hunt.

He’d already escaped from an open prison, where he was serving a six year plus sentence for drug smuggling. He was captured when he returned to crime. He had already committed one burglary from a house in his native Liverpool when he tried to break into another. But, not only was he disturbed committing it but he was also caught.

Merseyside police contacted Southampton detectives and DS Will Whale and other officers travelled to Liverpool where they interviewed him. Jackson, 30, immediately confessed, though he tried to play down his role, saying it was minor.

He appeared before Winchester Crown Court where he admitted conspiracy to rob, aggravated burglary and inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Now Jackson, who has no settled address, has been given an indeterminate sentence.

Judge Peter Ralls QC said he was a risk of causing danger to the public and it would be five years before the Parole Board will consider his case.

Jackson was described in court as being the middle-man in the raid on the home of Mr Warren.

Prosecutor Peter Spink said the victim, a known drug dealer, was handcuffed and repeatedly struck in the face with a rubber mallet as the gang demanded to know where he kept his money. Jackson boiled a kettle, which he gave to West, who flicked the water over Mr Warren’s body as he demanded to know where he kept his money. Mr Warren was also cut on the bridge of his nose with a machete, which the gang had found in the flat.

Jackson also ransacked the premises while West continued his attack.

The judge said it had been a ruthless attack and each fully understood what they intended to do.

In mitigation Stephen McNally said Jackson – who has 20 previous convictions – did not have a violent history. At an earlier hearing West, 30, and Derby, 29, both from Liverpool, were given indeterminate sentences after being convicted of conspiracy to rob, aggravated burglary, inflicting grievous bodily harm and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

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