Lewisham Fugitive: Seven-County Search Begins After Inmate Forces Way Out

A search operation spanned seven counties on Saturday as police hunted a prisoner who forced his way out of a medical facility in south-east London. The Metropolitan Police described the situation as urgent, stating that the man poses a risk to both himself and the public.

Anthony Lloyd exited the health unit in Lewisham shortly after 4:00 pm on Friday. Officers last saw him at approximately 4:10 pm heading toward Catford. He is 38 years old, white, and stands 5 feet 8 inches tall with a medium build. Police noted he has short dark hair and was wearing a grey-blue T-shirt, black tracksuit bottoms, and white trainers at the time of his escape.

Lloyd was convicted in 2025 of actual bodily harm. The charge stemmed from an incident in Nottinghamshire involving three emergency services workers. He received a 12-month custodial sentence and was transferred to the Lewisham medical facility in September. His escape occurred while he was under care at that location.

Detective Superintendent Melanie Pressley leads the search efforts. She stated that officers are conducting inquiries to locate Lloyd and return him to custody. Pressley urged the public to call 999 immediately if they spot him and to avoid approaching him. She also asked for any information, no matter how small, to be shared with police as a matter of urgency.

Police believe Lloyd could be anywhere in the capital. They have also identified links to other areas, expanding the search to Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley, Hampshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Merseyside. The force instructed members of the public to quote reference CAD4739/23Oct when reporting information.

The search remains active across these regions. Officers are coordinating efforts to track the fugitive. The public has been asked to stay alert and report sightings directly to emergency services.