Urgent manhunt as inmate escapes from prison van in South East London

Do not approach him under any circumstances

A manhunt is underway after a prisoner escaped from custodial transport in Plumstead. Temitope Segun, aged 25, was last seen around Woolwich High Street at around 6.40pm on Monday (June 8).

Police think he has links to areas in South East London such as Plumstead, Abbey Wood, and Woolwich. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, black trousers and black trainers

Cops are clear that if anyone sees him, he is not to be approached under any circumstances, and we must dial 999, quoting 2270/10JUN. You can also report a sighting anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 with the same reference.

Detective Sergeant Claudine Manning, who is leading the search, said: “My team of dedicated officers are working around the clock to trace and apprehend Temitope Segun. It is imperative that the public contact police via 999 if they see him – or know where he may be.

“He was last seen wearing a black jacket, black trousers and black trainers and has links across South London.”

It comes as a rapist – who held his victim at knifepoint and threatened to kill her if she did not comply with his sexual demands – went on the run from justice after being accidentally set free from prison.

Bernadin Dedic, 48, had been drinking red wine and was high on cocaine when he pulled out a knife on the woman, telling her that if she screamed she “wouldn’t be heard”.

He cut off the victim’s clothes before subjecting her to a series of rapes and sexual assaults in an ordeal which lasted for several hours.

Dedic, a businessman living in Ealing, West London, was remanded in custody last year after being charged with four charges of rape, two counts of sexual assault by penetration, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, threatening a person with a knife when in a private place, and making a threat to kill.

But in February he was mistakenly set free from HMP Wormwood Scrubs after a court official wrongly told the prison that he had been granted bail. Within hours, Dedic had left the UK on the Eurostar and returned to his native country of Bosnia.

The defendant put forward a litany of excuses for not coming back to face justice, including claims of a heart attack and a skiing accident, and he remained in Bosnia as the trial went ahead this month at Isleworth Crown Court.

On Tuesday, a jury convicted Dedic on all nine counts in his absence.

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