Police warn on-the-run rapist may have returned to Yorkshire

Sean Cawthray, 41, was given a life sentence at Leeds Crown Court in December 2002 after the incident in Kippax and had also been in prison twice previously for rape offences.

Cawthray’s 14-year-old victim was only saved after a seven-year-old boy heard her muffled cries for help and called for his grandfather who then intervened, leaving Cawthray to run off.

He was found after a police search of the area, and later sentenced to an indeterminate sentence because of the risk he posed to young women after admitting attempted kidnap.

Until December 30, when he escaped, Cawthray had been an inmate at Leyhill Open Prison, north of Bristol, and officers from Avon and Somerset Police are now leading the search for him.

Last night they said he may have travelled back to Yorkshire and warned the public not to approach him but to dial 999.

DI Jill Kells said: “We are committed to locating, returning to custody and charging anyone unlawfully at large. Officers work closely with HMP Leyhill and other police forces to track down absconders promptly and keep any potential risk to the public to a minimum.”

Cawthray is described as white, 5ft 9in to 5ft 11in tall, of medium build with short brown hair and blue eyes.

When he was last seen he was wearing a pair of silver coloured training shoes, cream coloured combat trousers and a light blue coloured top.

He may have been wearing either a worker’s fluorescent jacket, grey jacket with orange patches or black jacket with a blue patch.

A Prison Service spokesman said: “A prisoner at Leyhill open prison absconded on 30 December and this is now a matter for the police.

“The number of absconds from open prisons is at a record low. Those who do abscond will be returned to a more secure prison and may face further charges.”