An escaped prisoner was placed back behind bars today after he was caught plotting to blow up a seaside branch of the HSBC because he watched a Netflix ‘expose’ about the banking giant from his hideout that ‘enraged’ him.
Convicted armed robber Alan Murphy, 62, had been living in secrecy in a caravan off the coast of Blackpool for eight months after disappearing during day release from HMP Sudbury.
But he blew his cover when he logged onto Netflix and watched the series ‘Dirty Money’ which detailed how HSBC laundered millions of dollars for Mexican and Columbian drug lords as well as terrorist groups.
He was said to be so angry at the revelations of the episode ‘Cartel Bank’ that he made a pipebomb which he threatened to detonate at his local HSBC in Blackpool.
Police caught Murphy by chance in a routine check whilst he was at a soup kitchen where he confessed to having a a gun and an improvised explosive device (IED) in his bag.
Convicted armed robber Alan Murphy, 62, was placed back behind bars today
The prisoner escaped during day release from HMP Sudbury in March 2020
Everyone within 300-feet of the area was evacuated while a specialist team from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service conducted tests on the contents of the bag.
It included a modified BB pistol, an improvised shotgun made from a 12-inch wooden handle and two metal tubes plus cigarette lighters, a firework, air rifle pellets and a kitchen knife.
Officers seized the contents along with a prewritten note for the bank which outlined his demands for bank cards and a threat that he would detonate the IED if they did not comply.
He later said he only intended to damage property and cars that belonged to bank employees but did not want to hurt anyone.
He said he had been enraged by the Netflix programme which told how HSBC paid a $1.9 billion fine in 2012 to avoid prosecution for allowing at least $881 million in proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs.
The 2018 documentary said in addition to facilitating money laundering by drug cartels, evidence was found that HSBC moved money for Saudi banks tied to terrorist groups.
Even though federal investigators found evidence ‘that senior bank officials were complicit in the illegal activity,’ no HSBC executives faced charges for their actions.
At Preston Crown Court, Murphy formerly of Bolton was jailed for 15 years after he admitted possession of an explosive substance, possession of an imitation firearm and having a knife.
He was cleared of possession of an explosive substance with intent to endanger life.
Murphy was planning to blow up a seaside branch of the HSBC (pictured) in Blackpool using an improvised explosive device
Tom Snape, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said today: ‘Alan Murphy is a dangerous man who planned to carry out a terrifying bomb attack on a bank and its staff.
‘It is fortunate officers attended that day and then acted swiftly to prevent Murphy carrying out his plan, which could have had devastating consequences.
‘I hope this conviction and sentence provides some reassurance that this man has now been brought to justice.
‘We will continue to work closely with the police to do all we can to ensure the safety of our communities.’
Murphy has been locked up since 2008 for an indeterminate period for firearms offences.
He had previously been jailed in 2002 for six years following armed robberies at three shops.
Murphy has escaped prison before in 2013 from HMP Kirkham.
He went on to carry out two attempted armed raids in Bolton just weeks later using an imitation shotgun, using the weapon to threaten staff at Betfred and A&K Grocers in Halliwell in June 2013.
Betfred staff fled to a back room and people working at the corner shop ‘bundled’ him out of the premises.
He was arrested three days later when he tried to steal a pack of lager from a Morrisons store and in September that year he was sentenced to a further eight years behind bars.
But in March 2020 Murphy escaped from HMP Sudbury after he disappeared whilst on day release.
The bomb plot was exposed the following November when he was traced to the soup kitchen.
Prosecutors said he initially gave a false name but his real identity was confirmed following a fingerprint scan.
Murphy attempted to blow up the a branch of the HSBC after watching the Netflix documentary Dirty Money
It is not known why it took almost four years for the case to come to court.
Murphy is expected to serve a minimum two thirds of his sentence but will be on licence until 2044 under the terms of an extended sentence.
Dirty Money was said to be among the most highly rated documentaries in Netflix’s history and the series has a 100 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.