A Forest Hill man who attacked two women then went on the run has now escaped from court as he was due to be sentenced.

Che Isaacs-Neville did not turn up for his trial and was convicted in his absence of beating up two women who suffered injuries in both assaults.

A second manhunt is now underway after the 22-year-old was tracked down but then escaped from custody at Chichester Crown Court yesterday (August 18) and is still at large.

Last month at Hove Crown Court, Isaacs-Neville was found guilty of two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm, two counts of assault by beating, criminal damage and theft of a motor vehicle.

He attacked two women at a house in Hastings, East Sussex, in December 2019 and again last February.

During the second assault the defendant also smashed the windscreen of a car belonging to one of the victims and a month later he stole a vehicle belonging to another of the women around seven miles away in Bexhill.

Police launched a hunt for Isaacs-Neville and he was arrested by officers in Hastings on Monday and remanded in custody to appear at Chichester Crown Court yesterday.

But during the hearing, Isaacs-Neville fled from the courtroom and despite searching far and wide, has not been found by police or prison guards.

He is now wanted for being unlawfully at large as well as for the previous offences he was convicted of last month, police said.

A woman has also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and is still being held by police as she is questioned by investigators.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said of the trial: "The court heard how Isaacs-Neville had assaulted two women at an address in Hastings in December 2019 and again in February 2020. Both women suffered injuries during both assaults.

"On the second occasion, he also smashed the windscreen of a car belonging to one of the victims.

"In March 2020, a car belonging to one of the women was also found to have been taken from Bexhill without her permission.

"Police are now renewing their appeal for information on his whereabouts.

"He was remanded in custody to appear before Chichester Crown Court on Wednesday (August 18).

"During the hearing, Isaacs-Neville fled from the courtroom and despite an extensive search, was not found. He is now wanted for being unlawfully at large, in addition to the previous offences."

Isaacs-Neville is known to have an address around Forest Hill, but is also believed to often be in Hastings and Bexhill on the south coast.

Anyone who sees him or who has information about where he is can contact DC Ollie Bali of Sussex Police either online or by calling 101, quoting serial 47200035370.

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