Police Scour London for Inmate Who Forced Way Out of Lewisham Clinic

The search area for Anthony Lloyd now covers seven distinct police forces across London and the surrounding counties. Det Supt Melanie Pressley, who leads the operation, said officers are conducting various inquiries to locate the 38-year-old man and return him to custody. The Metropolitan Police described Lloyd as a risk to both himself and the public.

Lloyd forced his way out of a health unit in Lewisham shortly after 4 pm on Friday. Witnesses placed him heading in the direction of Catford at approximately 4:10 pm. That was the last confirmed sighting of the inmate. Police have since widened their net to include Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley, Hampshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Merseyside. These areas reflect links Lloyd has to places outside the capital.

The escapee was convicted in 2025 of actual bodily harm. The offense stemmed from an incident in Nottinghamshire that involved three emergency services workers. A court sentenced him to 12 months in custody. He spent part of that sentence in a standard prison before moving to the medical facility in Lewisham in September.

Detectives have released a physical description of Lloyd to aid the public in identifying him. He is white, stands 5 ft 8 in, and has a medium build with short dark hair. When he left the facility, he wore a grey-blue T-shirt, black tracksuit bottoms, and white trainers. The clothing description remains central to the visual search criteria distributed to officers in the field.

Pressley urged members of the public not to approach Lloyd if they spot him. Instead, she instructed them to call 999 immediately. She also appealed for information of any size to help locate the fugitive. "If you have any information, however small, that could help us locate Lloyd, please get in touch with police as a matter of urgency," she said.

The force has assigned a reference number for all tips regarding the manhunt. Callers should quote CAD4739/23Oct when contacting the police. The search continues across the capital and the six surrounding regions listed by investigators.