Police Scotland have released new images of James Fitzpatrick, a 36-year-old prisoner who absconded from HMP Castle Huntly, Scotland's only open prison, on Tuesday, December 30. The manhunt continues as officers urge the public not to approach him and to contact police immediately if he is seen.
Fitzpatrick was last seen getting off a bus on Main Street in Stevenston on Monday, December 29. He had boarded the No 11 Stagecoach bus on High Street in Irvine earlier that morning. An image released by the force shows him on the bus, which runs to Ardrossan, before he alighted at around midday. A second image shows him with his hood up at a bus stop. After leaving the bus, he was seen heading towards New Street and has not been seen since.
Fitzpatrick is described as white, around 5ft 8in tall, of stocky build, with short brown hair. When last seen, he was wearing a black Nike tracksuit with white stripes down the arms and legs and carrying a yellow JD Sports carrier bag and a large black holdall. He had been on an approved visit from his sentence at HMP Castle Huntly when he absconded and is known to have links to Ayrshire.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Enquiries are ongoing to trace a 36-year-old man who has failed to return to HMP Castle Huntly from an approved visit and has travelled to Ayrshire. James Fitzpatrick was reported missing on Tuesday, December 30, and was last seen around 11.30am on Monday, December 29, on the High Street in Irvine when he boarded the No 11 Stagecoach bus for Ardrossan."
Anyone who sees Fitzpatrick is urged to call police on 999, quoting incident number 2717 of Monday, December 29, or contact the anonymous charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
