Violent thug jailed for mugging female pensioner, 92, is on the run: Police manhunt for paranoid schizophrenic who disappeared while on ‘escorted leave’ – six years after horrific attack on elderly woman
- Paranoid schizophrenic Sanchez Edwards, 33, went missing at noon on Sunday
Police are hunting a violent thug who has broken out of jail six years after he was locked up for attacking an innocent pensioner.
Sanchez Edwards, 33, dragged recently-widowed Gladys Scriven, 92, along the pavement near her home in Hoxton, London, six years ago in a horrifying attack captured on CCTV footage.
The paranoid schizophrenic, who was jailed for five years and eight months in March 2018, has now absconded from ‘escorted leave’, police revealed.
The brute was last seen at the junction of Wick Lane and Baranabas Road at around 12pm on July 23 and police say he was wearing a navy puffer jacket, grey tracksuit trousers and white trainers when he disappeared. Officers have warned the public not to approach him, but instead to dial 999 immediately.
Ms Scriven had just been to post a letter and had turned into an alleyway when she was followed by Edwards and attacked from behind in 2017. The thug grabbed her handbag and made several attempts to pull it away from her, forcing her to the ground. As she screamed and refused to let go of the bag, Edwards dragged her along the floor until she was in so much pain that she eventually let go. Edwards then ran back into the alleyway and made off.
Edwards was last seen at the junction of Wick Lane and Baranabas Road at around 12pm on Sunday and police say he was wearing a navy puffer jacket, grey tracksuit trousers and white trainers when he disappeared (pictured)
Edwards (pictured in 2018) attacked recently-widowed Ms Scriven in Hoxton Street in broad daylight at about 2.40pm on the afternoon of June 27th, 2017
The pensioner sustained extensive bruising all over her body, and was left with several cracked ribs.
A £5,000 Crimestoppers reward was secured for information leading to his capture and images were released from various sightings in a bid to warn the public not to approach him. The case also featured on the BBC’s Crimewatch programme.
When Edwards saw the police he ran off, but he was chased down and detained. He refused to answer any questions when interviewed. He was charged with robbery on the same day.
The investigation team released CCTV showing Edwards stalking his victim before he attacked her and then subsequently making off from the scene. Her handbag and contents were never recovered.
In a harrowing victim impact statement, the victim explained how she was too afraid to leave her house after the incident and lost her independence.
A £5,000 Crimestoppers reward was secured for information leading to his capture and images were released from various sightings in a bid to warn the public not to approach him (pictured is one of the images released in 2017)
She described herself as ‘a shadow of her former self’.
Edwards was deemed ‘dangerous’ under the Criminal Justice Act 2003 and was told he would have to serve at least two-thirds of his sentence.
It was said at the time of his sentencing that Edwards would only be released with the agreement of the Parole Board.
An order was also imposed by the judge under the Mental Health Act, that he would remain in a hospital under the supervision of hospital staff.
On sentencing at Wood Green Crown Court, Judge Greenburg also said that there was a significant risk Edwards would commit further offences and cause serious physical or physiological harm to one or more people.
It was established that Edwards had absconded from the medium-secure John Howard psychiatric facility in Hackney, where he was a patient, at the time of the attack.
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