The Newcastle Evening Chronicle has lifted the lid on notorious Tyneside hardman Paddy Conroy after persuading the villain to give his first interview in print.

Reporter Adam Jupp persuaded the 46-year-old to talk after he escaped a prison sentence for possessing an offensive weapon earlier this year – telling the court he feared for his life.

Conroy had gained notoriety when he fled the UK after escaping from a prison taxi in April 1994, and was later caged for eleven-and-a-half years for the kidnap and torture of a gangland rival before being released on licence in 2002.

In an exclusive interview with the Chronicle he told of his time in prison and on the run, revealing stories of his time as a double category-A inmate, housed next to dangerous serial killers including Harold Shipman and Bob “Hannibal the Cannibal” Maudsley.

And he told in detail how he now lives in constant fear of his life and how he escaped from a hitman who tried to kill him, as well as maintaining his innocence over the torture of a rival.

Chronicle news editor James Marley told holdthefrontpage the paper had decided to approach Conroy for an interview after a previous story prompted so much interest when it was published that sales were boosted by 5,000 copies.

His notoriety was also evident when the Chronicle took Conroy out to photograph him and orderly queue of people formed who wanted to speak to him.

But the paper also had to walk a fine line and be careful not to glamorise the criminal lifestyle.

James said: “We had concerns as it’s a thorny issue, but on the other hand a guy who has hit the headlines over the years was willing to talk in print for the first time and was willing to talk in full.

“It produced a couple of good spreads and was also balanced with a leader column which was anything but glorifying a life of crime.

“Most readers took it for what it was – a very good read. A couple of people did get in touch saying they thought we were glorifying violence, but most thought we weren’t. ”