Police issue appeal to child killer on the run from prison

West Mercia Police said officers had received information which raised concern about the state of mind of Alan Giles, who was jailed for life in 1997.

Confirming that Giles left HMP Hewell in Redditch, Worcestershire, on foot at about 11am on Monday, Chief Inspector Paul Judge urged the public to report any sightings of the 56-year-old immediately.

Mr Judge told a press conference in Redditch that inquiries to locate Giles were centred on the local area, including parts of south Warwickshire. He added: “We are concerned as Giles has been missing since Monday morning and we are urging the public to help us find him.

“We are concerned about his state of mind as a result of information we have received after he went missing and I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to him to hand himself in directly to the nearest police station or contact us by phone so that we can resolve this matter.

“We are leaving no stone unturned in order to find Giles and we will provide whatever resources are required in order to achieve that.

“I would also urge anyone who is helping him or sheltering him to contact us without delay.”

Giles, originally from the Oldbury area of the West Midlands, was given a 19-year tariff for the 1995 kidnap and murder of teenager Kevin Ricketts. The 16-year-old victim’s body was not found until 1998, after Giles asked to speak to detectives from West Midlands Police while serving his sentence.

Giles, who would have been eligible to apply for parole next year, is believed to have escaped from an “open” section of the prison.

Mr Judge added: “We can’t underestimate the fact that Giles was convicted of murder and kidnap, however we have no specific information that gives us concern for any members of the public.”