Scotland Yard has launched a nationwide appeal for help in tracing one of Britain's most wanted convicted paedophiles.

Detectives have been searching for Warwick Spinks, 36, (right) since he breached the conditions of his licence after being released from prison nearly four years ago.

Spinks, who had served two-and-a-half years of a five-year sentence at Elmley Prison in Sheerness, Kent, was ordered by the Home Office to return to jail.

He was convicted at Lewes Crown Court in February 1995 of taking indecent photographs of children and abducting a child. Spinks was released on licence in July 1997, but was reported to have fled the country two months later after apparently refusing to be listed on the national sex offenders register. A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said last night: "We are launching this appeal now because despite extensive efforts by police, we have not been able to trace him."

Anyone with information should contact the Metropolitan Police Child Pornography Information Line on freephone 0808-1000040, or the paedophile unit on 020-72303104.

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