Public warned 'do not approach' violent criminal who fled prison five days ago

17 January 2024 , 16:02

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Frankie Michael O’Leary has been on the run for 5 days (Image: MyLondon/BPM)

Police have launched an urgent manhunt for a criminal who fled prison where he was serving a nearly eight year long sentence.

Frankie Michael O’Leary, 26, left HMP Sudbury prison in Derbyshire at around 5.30pm on Friday, January 12. The convict was sentenced for grievous bodily harm with intent back in 2021, for which he was serving seven years and 10 months.

Officers are now appealing for the public’s help to track him down but have urged people not to approach him.

A description of O'Leary, released by Derbyshire Police, says he is: "5ft 10ins tall, has brown hair which is short on the sides and longer on top, and is of slight build with blue eyes, and was "last seen wearing a pair of black Under Armour tracksuit bottoms, a black puffa jacket, and a pair of white and grey Nike trainers."

HMP Sudbury is a Category D open prison, which means there's minimal security (Derbyshire Police / SWNS)

O’Leary also has links to various other parts of the UK, including the following areas:

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• London – specifically the Tottenham, Haringey, Finsbury Park, North Finchley and Hornsey areas.
• Bedfordshire - Biggleswade area
• Dorset – Poole area
• Hampshire – Lymington area
• North Wales – Llandudno
• Brighton and Hove
• Northampton – Blackthorn area
• Cambridgeshire – Bedford area
• Wiltshire – Swindon area

Police have asked members of the public not to approach O’Leary and instead contact the police quoting Derbyshire reference 1190-120124.

HMP Sudbury is a Category D open prison in the village of Sudbury, Derbyshire. Category D means there is minimal security, with eligible prisoners given the freedom to spend a large chunk of their day away on licence - to either carry out work, education or for other resettlement purposes.

Earlier this month, another man who absconded the prison was found by police after he spent more than a month on the run. 35-year-old Aiden Walls had walked out of HMP Sudbury on November 30, prompting police to issue an appeal for information. Officers were able to locate Mr Walls on 20 December, who is serving a sentence of five years and six months for conspiracy to commit burglary.

Zahra Khaliq