Prison escapee is robbery suspect

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/bradford/5339242.stm

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Police investigating a series of robberies targeting gay men in North and West Yorkshire believe a man on the run from prison is a prime suspect.

Convicted murderer Lee Dewhurst, 35, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, absconded from Prescoed open prison in Monmouthshire, on 11 July.

Police said they wanted to speak to Dewhurst about a string of robberies on men in York, Huddersfield and Halifax.

Anyone who has seen him has been asked to contact police immediately.

People have been warned not to approach Dewhurst, who was jailed for life at Liverpool Crown Court in 1992.

Police believe on each occasion a robber had struck up a relationship with his male victims before threatening and robbing them, sometimes in public areas and on other occasions at their home addresses.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said the force was working alongside North Yorkshire Police to warn gay communities about the potential danger and to gather any information about the robberies.

Dewhurst is described as white, 5ft 8in (1.72m) tall and of stocky build. He is balding, with dark, cropped hair, and sometimes has a goatee beard.