The mother of murder victim Richard Deakin today spoke of her devastation and fears after one of the men accused of his killing escaped from his prison van.

Carol Deakin, whose son Richard was shot at his Chasetown home in July 2010, revealed she has been left in a state of shock after murder suspect John Anslow was sprung from the van by three masked men.

Police have described Anslow as “dangerous”.

Mrs Deakin said: “I’m absolutely devastated, I can’t believe this has happened.

“I’m terrified for my personal safety and that of my family.” Masked men armed with sledge hammers held up the high-security van which was in the process of taking Anslow to Stafford Crown Court yesterday.

The driver was attacked in the ambush near HMP Hewell in Redditch and 31-year-old Anslow was freed from the back of the vehicle.

Last week he was charged with the murder skip hire boss Mr Deakin, who was shot dead in bed at his home, in Meadway Street, Chasetown. Four others are also charged with his murder.

Mrs Deakin, of Cheslyn Hay, was in a state of shock after news of the breakout was broken to her at the Stafford Crown Court hearing yesterday when Anslow failed to turn up.

She and other members of the family have religiously attended all the court cases involving her son’s alleged killers.

She said: “We were in court for the hearing and realised something was wrong.

“When we were told what had happened, I was blown out of the water, it was unbelievable.” Mrs Deakin was advised by police to go straight home and await a visit from them.

They called at her semi-detached house later in the day to speak to her about security.

She said: “I’m in shock. It’s terrifying that this kind of thing can happen in this day and age.”

Mrs Deakin has spoken in the past of the family’s torment over the death of  her son, who ran On Time Skips in Walsall. She described the 27-year-old as “my life, we were so close”.

Mr Deakin, who died from chest wounds, had moved to Chasetown with his fiancee Megan in 2008.