Police hunt prisoner on run from day release
A prisoner who was allowed out of jail on day release has gone on the run, sparking a police appeal to help catch him.
Paul Cooke went missing in West Bromwich on Saturday, failing to return to HMP Hewell Prison in Redditch.
He was sentenced to four years imprisonment for burglary at Birmingham Crown Court in February 2012.
Police say the 33-year-old, from Sandwell, has links to West Bromwich and the Yew Tree Estate of Walsall and has also stayed in the Handsworth and Acocks Green areas of Birmingham.
Officers are also investigating the possibility that he may be in the Hampshire, Surrey or Sussex areas.
PC Paul Bryant, from Sandwell Offender Management, appealed for members of the public to help catch fugitive Cooke.
He said: " Cooke is unlawfully at large and we are appealing for help from anyone who may have seen him or knows where he is to contact us. We are working closely with HMP Hewell and other police forces to track him down and send him back to prison to serve his sentence."
He added: "Cooke is not considered a danger to the public but if anyone spots him they should call police on 101."
Cooke is described as white, 5'10 with short brown hair, sometimes gelled, blue eyes and he has a rose tattoo on the left part of his chest with the name 'Jade' underneath. He also has a scar under his right eye. He was last seen wearing a blue and white jumper, a grey jacket, blue tracksuit bottoms and trainers, he sometimes wears glasses and often wears smart clothing.
