Wanted criminal arrested in village near Hucknall after four years on the run

A convicted drug dealer who went on the run four years ago is back behind bars after he was detained by police in Papplewick.

Richard Brown was driving a Vauxhall Astra when he was stopped by officers in Papplewick, due to the vehicle being insured only to a woman.

At the time, officers did not know they had pulled over a man who had been a wanted man since 2018.

Desperate to avoid capture, the 30-year-old gave false details but officers were not fooled, as the photo of the person whose details he gave was clearly not him.

He went on to give his real name and date of birth when he realised he was not getting anywhere by lying.

Checks then revealed Brown had been on the run for four years, after he failed to give himself up when his prison parole licence was rescinded.

He had previously been jailed for three years for possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs.

Brown, of no fixed address, was released from jail on parole in 2017 but he failed to keep appointments with his supervisor and a letter was sent in March 2018 telling him he was being recalled to prison.

However, he did not surrender himself or get in touch with his supervisor and when checks were made at his last known address it was discovered he had moved away.

Despite extensive enquiries, he was not located and Brown remained unlawfully at large for years.

That was until Saturday, 23 April when he was finally caught in Main Street, Papplewick.

Chief Inspector Paul Hennessy, of Nottinghamshire Police, said Brown's efforts to con police were never going to succeed.

He said: "Criminals often tell lies in an effort to avoid arrest but our officers are not easily fooled.

"In this case, Brown was stopped by officers who were alert to the fact he was driving a vehicle insured only to a female.

"This demonstrated their vigilance and attentiveness - yet Brown still naively believed he could trick them by providing false details.

"He was wrong. Thanks to the competency of the officers concerned, Brown's time on the run was up.

"I am pleased he has now been returned to prison and hope this serves as a reminder that if you run from the law, sooner or later you will be caught."

Paying tribute to the officers involved in Brown's capture, Ch Insp Hennessy added: "Any arrest of a fugitive is a fantastic result, even more so since Brown had been a wanted man for four years.

"Thanks to their efforts, Brown has been returned to the Criminal Justice System – an excellent result that demonstrates there is nowhere safe to hide."

Under the terms of a standard recall, Brown will remain in prison until the end of his original sentence or until a parole board deems him suitable for release.