Wanted: Have you seen this man?
Man escapes from mental health unit
Published:
A MAN with connections to the North-east has escaped from a mental health unit, sparking a major police hunt.
John Slavin, 44, was awaiting trail for violent offences when he vanished from Springfield Hospital, Wandsworth, South London, along with a murder suspect.
The Metropolitan Police said Slavin has connections with Aberdeen and have alerted Grampian Police to be on the look-out for him.
Slavin escaped around 10.20pm yesterday along with murder accused John Claydon, 28.
Dog handlers and a helicopter team hunted throughout the night and the search continued today.
Investigators were trawling CCTV footage from the hospital and drafted in extra officers from the Metropolitan Police’s territorial support group.
Slavin is white, around 6ft 3in and thin with tattoos on his left arm and hand.
The aggravated burglary suspect, who is originally from the Bristol area, was wearing dark clothes and a beanie hat when he disappeared.
Scotland Yard warned members of the public not to approach Claydon who is white, around 5ft 11in, and of medium build. He has cropped dark-brown hair, a heavily-scarred face and a gold tooth.
Police said he had links to the Kensington and Chelsea areas of London.
Both men were being assessed for mental health conditions while at the hospital.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “If members of the public see either man they are not to approach them and dial 999 immediately.”
