Wanted criminal and suspected sex offender Daryl Taylor 'just wants to avoid us', say Suffolk Police

A wanted criminal and suspected sex offender "just wants to evade police" and poses no wider threat to the public, officers have insisted.

A manhunt for Daryl Taylor, 33, was launched on Sunday evening after he escaped from custody while being treated at hospital.

Police believe he was helped to get away by a group and four people - a man and three women - were arrested shortly after.

Taylor was originally jailed in July 2023 for causing actual bodily harm and had been arrested for breaching the terms of his licence.

While in custody he was also charged with seven sexual offences and was taken to Ipswich Hospital for treatment.

Supt Andy Martin, of Suffolk, said the circumstances surrounding Taylor's escape were being "robustly investigated".

But, despite urging the public not to approach the him, Supt Martin said he did not believe Taylor was a danger to others.

"We are not treating him as a risk to the general public or a risk to anybody in the hospital," he said.

"He simply wants to escape custody and not be brought to court to face up to what he's been charged with. We think he's just going to try to lay low.

"We will get Daryl. His time will come."

Supt Martin said he could not give any more details about exactly how Taylor had been able to get away from police, or where the four people subsequently arrested had been at the time.

Taylor is white and around 5ft 9in tall. He is described as being of stocky build, with short brown hair and a beard.

The 33-year-old, who has links to the Ipswich and Hollesley areas, has tattoos on his face, neck, arms and legs, and was wearing a black and grey North Face jumper and matching jogging bottoms with black Adidas sliders.

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