TWO men will be sentenced for helping a fugitive who was sprung from a prison van.

Marcus Hill, aged 28, of Chedworth Crescent, Little Hulton, and Michael Crossley, aged 26, of Bradford Road, Farnworth, drove wanted man Stevie McMullen from Bolton to Lancaster.

Police closed in on the men near to Lancaster University on Sunday, May 5 and arrested them after swooping on a Nissan Juke car.

McMullen, aged 32, of no fixed address, was wanted after he and Ryan McDonald, aged 20, were busted from a custody van which was attacked on Regent Avenue, Salford on its way from HMP Altcourse to Manchester Crown Court on April 30 last year.

McMullen, also of no fixed address, was due to appear in relation to charges of conspiracy to rob. MacDonald was due to be sentenced for unconnected offences of conspiracy to commit robbery. He was sentenced to seven years and two months in his absence, while on the run.

Police had offered a £10,000 reward for the men’s whereabouts.

Hill and Crossley both admitted assisting an offender.

McMullen and MacDonald both admitted conspiring to escape from lawful custody. They were both convicted of conspiracy to possess an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

A gang of other people have been found guilty of crimes related to the prison van bust.

They will all be sentenced on April 28 and 29 at Manchester Minshell Street Court.