John McVicar

John McVicar (21 March 1940 – 6 September 2022) was a British journalist and convicted one-time armed robber who escaped from prison.

In 1956, at the age of 16, while awaiting trial, he escaped from a remand home for young offenders, before being sentenced to two years Borstal training.

Despite being incarcerated in HM Prison Parkhurst, which was then a top security jail on the Isle of Wight,[1] McVicar managed to escape again, following a spurious trial with twelve other Parkhurst inmates at Winchester Law Courts and overcoming their guards on the way back to the Isle of Wight at Bishop's Waltham.

All the other prisoners were soon re-arrested during a massive police search operation, but McVicar, still at large, contacted underworld boss Joey Pyle in London, who drove down and met him in Portsmouth.

[2] Whilst on the run, McVicar attempted to rob an armoured security van, was recaptured, charged with more offences and sentenced to another 15 years in prison consecutive to the eight he was already serving.

[3] During his imprisonment for his failed attempt to rob an armed money transfer vehicle (as a fugitive), McVicar began his study for a postgraduate degree at the University of Leicester, which he completed upon his release.

[3][1] John McVicar died from a suspected heart attack on 6 September 2022, at the age of 82, whilst walking his dog.