Littlejohn escaped from Mountjoy Prison in March 1974 and returned to England , where he was harboured in the Birmingham home of Thomas Watt , a future prosecution witness in the Birmingham Six Trial . While on the run Littlejohn gave several press interviews and enrolled for touch-typing lessons to help him write his memoirs . Littlejohn was staying with Watt on the night , in November 1974 , of the Birmingham pub bombings , and made tea when detectives came to interview Watt . Littlejohn was recaptured , in his underpants at gunpoint , by West Midlands Police detectives at Watt 's home on 11 December 1974 . Watt himself was arrested later that afternoon , but claimed he was released , on Detective Superintendent Pat Cooney 's orders , as he could not be prosecuted as Littlejohn 's crime was committed outside of the UK . The brothers were released early in 1981 on condition they leave the Republic of Ireland . The following year Nottingham Crown Court jailed Littlejohn for six years for his part in a £ 1,300 , armed robbery at the Old Manor House , North Wingfield , Chesterfield , England , however Keith Littlejohn was cleared of a similar offence
Birmingham pub bombings
Birmingham pub bombings
Kenneth Littlejohn