Star Wars child actor Jake Lloyd is diagnosed with schizophrenia

Star Wars child actor Jake Lloyd, who played Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

The 27-year-old has been in jail since July 2015 after he took part in a high-speed chase with police in South Carolina, exceeding speeds of 100mph.

At the time police said it was unclear why the Colorado-based actor was in South Carolina or why he tried to evade police and "he didn't appear to be on drugs or intoxicated."

His mother Lisa has now told showbiz website TMZ that he has been moved from prison to a psychiatric unit and said that she has already seen an improvement.

"We're told there's no timetable for his release," the website reported.

Lloyd was 10 when he starred in the film alongside Liam Neeson, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor and Keira Knightley.