Hunt for escaped convict goes nationwide © Suffolk Police Police forces across England are joining in the hunt for a violent convict who escaped prison officers as they were escorting him to hospital. Andrew Farndon is believed to have given himself a knife wound while in Highpoint prison so that he would be transferred for treatment. When he arrived at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds on Wednesday, a waiting gunman confronted the prison officials before fleeing with Farndon across the car park. Police do not think Farndon will still be in the county. Forces across England have issued appeals for information to try and locate him. Suffolk police Detective Chief Inspector Nick Bennett said: "Along with other forces, we are pursuing various lines of inquiry, including contacting his family, friends and associates in the West Midlands. We are also studying CCTV and number-plate recognition records to try to identify the car which was used in the escape. Another line of inquiry is whether any mobile phones were used in the planning and execution of this escape. It is the second time Farndon has escaped from custody after leaping from the dock at Coventry Crown Court in 2007. In his absence he was found guilty of grievous bodily harm after a hammer attack which left his victim with a fractured skull. He is classed as a category C prisoner, which means he was deemed unlikely to make a determined escape attempt. Justice minister Crispin Blunt said there was no suggestion this latest incident is linked to the escape of John Anslow from HMP Hewell earlier this week. The most important thing at the moment is to get this man back in custody and to investigate the full facts of the case. A Prison Service spokeswoman said a full Prison Service inquiry would follow. A 44-year-old Tipton man arrested on Monday night on suspicion of helping Anslow to escape was released on bail pending further inquiries last night.