A child rapist is on the loose in Victoria after giving authorities the slip while on a toilet break.
Raymond Warford, who is more commonly known as Raymond Dean, is on an extended supervision order. He escaped through the back door of a cafe in Station Street, Fairfield, in Melbourne's inner north at 12.45pm (AEDT) on Wednesday.
He had left his corrections supervisor to go to the toilet.
His previous convictions include the abduction and rape of a child.
Detective inspector Bernie Rankin said police believed Dean was still in Melbourne but were also conducting inquiries in country Victoria and interstate.
"He does have a serious criminal background and it does involve sexual assaults on minors," Det Insp Rankin told reporters in Melbourne.
"We're very keen for the assistance of the public to locate Dean.
Det Insp Rankin said if anyone spots Dean, they should call triple-zero and not alert him that he
has been seen.
Dean, who is intellectually disabled, was in Melbourne for a medical appointment at the Thomas Embling Hospital in Fairfield. He was on his way back to his home outside the Ararat Prison in western Victoria when he escaped at the cafe.
This is the second time Dean has disappeared while on an extended supervision order.
He breached an order in 2007 when he went missing and was found at Crown casino.
Corrections Victoria spokeswoman Christine Panayotou said the supervision officer quickly noticed something was amiss and notified police immediately.
Under his supervision order, whenever Dean leaves his approved residence he needs to be in the company of Corrections Victoria staff member.
"It's important to note that the staff members are there to supervise and support them, it's not an escort like we would do with someone who is under sentence," she said.
"It's standard that they have meal breaks and toilet breaks... when they're going to and from the residences."
Corrections Victoria will be reviewing the incident.
Dean is described as 172cm tall and 64kg with a medium build, brown collar-length hair, a fair complexion, green eyes and a hesitant, mumbling voice.
He was wearing a black and tan leather-look jacket, faded grey jeans, a black t-shirt and black runners.
Meanwhile, Victorian Premier John Brumby said a full investigation will be launched into how Dean escaped.
"This particular individual is a person who had completed his jail term and was being detained by the state under an extended supervision order," Mr Brumby told reporters.
"We took that step some years ago in order to better protect the state from pedophiles who are released from prison because many pedophiles... are likely to reoffend.
"Notwithstanding that, what occurred is completely unacceptable and there will be a full investigation.
"The most important thing now is police resources are devoted to apprehending this individual."
Front page
RSS Feed