Renewed appeal to find rapist fugitive ‘likely’ in Bristol city centre

Police have launched a renewed appeal to find a convicted rapist who remains at large after failing to return to custody more than three weeks ago.

Sean Phipps failed to return to the HMP Leyhill in South Gloucestershire on June 1, having been on day release in Bristol.

Avon and Somerset Police believe the 51-year-old is likely to be in Bristol city centre still - and urged anyone who sees him to ‘call 999 straight away’.

Phipps is described as white and about 6ft 2ins tall. He is known to travel long distances on foot or bike or by hitch-hiking, and to camp out.

He was wearing a black coat over a blue top, blue jeans and Timberland footwear at the time of his release.

He also wore a black Casio watch and blue glasses and carried a vape pen with him.

If you see him, call 999 and give the call-handler reference number 5222130002.

If you have any other information about where he could be, or to report a past sighting (since June 1) call 101 or report the sighting online: http://ow.ly/80Et50JFwn1.