Derbyshire Police have warned members of the public not to approach a 23-year-old man who is on the run after escaping prison.
Lewis Pinches had been serving a six-year prison sentence at HMP Sudbury in Derbyshire, when he escaped from the site at 8:45pm on Monday (3 April).
Police are now on the hunt for the missing convict, who is known to have links to the Walsall, Brownhills and Blakenhall areas of the West Midlands, as well as Porthcawl in South Wales.
Pinches, who is also known to go by the names Lewis Birch and Lewis Bridges, is described as being 5ft 9ins tall, of a slim build, and with brown/blonde hair and blue eyes.
Advert
He was last seen dressed in a dark jacket, dark sweatshirt, dark jogging bottoms and black trainers. He was also wearing a baseball cap with a dark blue and grey pattern and a small logo on the back.
Derbyshire Police are appealing to members of the public for help to find the prisoner, though they have warned not to try and approach him if he is spotted.
"Members of the public are asked not to approach him and to instead contact us quoting reference number 1190 of 3 April." the police said in an appeal shared on Tuesday (4 April).
Pinches was sentenced to time behind bars after being convicted at Wolverhampton Crown Court, where he was found guilty of robbery and causing grievous bodily harm.
HMP Sudbury is a Category D open prison, which the government website explains has 'minimal security' and allows eligible prisoners to 'spend most of their day away from the prison on licence to carry out work, education or for other resettlement purposes'.
Advert
"Open prisons only house prisoners that have been risk-assessed and deemed suitable for open conditions," the website says.
The facility is described as a 'rehabilitation and resettlement prison' which is committed to providing a 'safe and educational environment where men can learn new skills to help them on release'.
"The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times," it adds.
It is still unclear exactly how Pinches escaped from the prison, or how long it was before officers noticed he was missing.
Advert
Witnesses or people with information about Pinches can get in touch using Derbyshire Police's online form, on Facebook, via Twitter at @DerPolContact, or by calling 101.
You can also anonymously contact the independent charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111, or by visiting the CrimeStoppers website.
Featured Image Credit: Derbyshire Police/Shutterstock