Police have launched an urgent nationwide manhunt for a convicted sex offender who was last captured on CCTV at Bournemouth railway station three weeks ago, just days after his release from prison.
Christopher Spelman, 66, is wanted by Lancashire Police for failing to comply with sexual offender notification requirements after he failed to register an address with authorities following his release from a prison near Weymouth at the start of July.
The pensioner from Prescot, Merseyside, is believed to be living rough in a tent and using transport hubs and campsites to move around the country, potentially putting himself at risk of a five-year prison sentence for breaching his legal obligations.
Last Sighting at Seaside Station
CCTV footage shows Spelman at Bournemouth railway station at 10.56am on Friday, 4 July, where he was seen exiting the station and turning in the direction of Holdenhurst Road.
We are continuing to ask for your help to find Christopher Spelman, 66, who is wanted for failing to comply with sexual offender notifications requirements,” a Lancashire Police spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday.
The force revealed that Spelman “might have used local shops, the bus service or taxis in the area” around Bournemouth, appealing for anyone with information to come forward immediately.
Prison Release and Breach
Spelman was released from prison near Weymouth, Dorset, at the beginning of July and was legally required to register an address with police as part of his notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
At the start of July, Spelman was released from prison near Weymouth and failed to register an address with police – in breach of his notification requirements,” the police statement confirmed.
The 66-year-old, who speaks with a Merseyside accent, has now been wanted since mid-July when authorities first realised he had failed to comply with the mandatory registration.
Living Rough and On the Move
Police believe Spelman is likely living in a tent and travelling between transport hubs and campsites across the country. Officers say he has links to multiple regions including Dorset, Hampshire, Bristol, Kent, Merseyside, Manchester, Devon, Cornwall, Wiltshire, Portsmouth, Fareham and Lancaster.
Spelman, initially from Prescot, Merseyside, is likely to be living in a tent and travelling – using transport hubs and campsites,” Lancashire Police stated in their appeal.
The force has warned that whilst Spelman could be anywhere in the UK, his transient lifestyle and use of public transport facilities makes him particularly difficult to trace.
Legal Consequences
Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, registered sex offenders must notify police of their address within three days of release from custody and annually thereafter, or whenever their details change. Those without a fixed address must report their whereabouts to police on a weekly basis.
Failure to comply with notification requirements is a criminal offence carrying a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment. The notification requirements are automatic for those convicted of relevant sexual offences and cannot be avoided.
The length of time an offender remains subject to notification requirements depends on the sentence received, ranging from two years for a caution to indefinite notification for those sentenced to more than 30 months in prison.
National Alert
Lancashire Police, who are heading up the investigation, have issued a nationwide alert for Spelman’s whereabouts. The force has emphasised that immediate sightings should be reported via 999.
Immediate sightings of Spelman in any part of the country, please call 999,” the police appeal stated, whilst also providing an email address for historical sightings or information.
The UK’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) has protocols for tracking missing sex offenders, with the CEOP Most Wanted website used as a last resort when all other lines of enquiry have been exhausted.
Bournemouth Connection
Bournemouth railway station, where Spelman was last seen, is located on Holdenhurst Road near St Paul’s roundabout, approximately one kilometre from the town centre. The station serves as a major transport hub with connections to London, Southampton, Weymouth and Manchester.
The area around the station includes numerous shops, bus services and taxi ranks, all of which police believe Spelman may have used following his departure from the station on 4 July.
British Transport Police maintain an office at Bournemouth station which acts as a regional hub, though there has been no indication whether railway police are involved in the search.
Public Appeal
Members of the public have been urged to call 999 immediately if they spot Spelman anywhere in the country. Police stress that any sighting should be reported as a matter of urgency given the serious nature of the breach.
The force has also requested that anyone with historical information about Spelman’s movements or whereabouts since early July should contact them via the email address provided in their social media appeals.
As the search continues into its third week, authorities remain concerned about Spelman’s failure to comply with his legal obligations and the risk this poses to effective monitoring of registered sex offenders in the community.
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