TONY CARR, SEX OFFENDER FROM MEDWAY AND PORTSMOUTH, CAUGHT AFTER TV APPEAL

In September 2009, a significant breakthrough was achieved in the ongoing efforts to locate Tony Carr, a convicted sex offender with strong ties to the Medway area. Carr had been on the run from law enforcement authorities, prompting a public appeal that was broadcast on the BBC's Crimewatch program. The appeal proved instrumental in leading to his eventual arrest.

Following the televised appeal on Tuesday night, police in Portsmouth acted swiftly. On the very next day, Wednesday, officers apprehended Tony Cyril Carr in Portsmouth. This marked the second time law enforcement had issued a public plea for assistance in tracking his whereabouts. During the broadcast, Detective Constable Tania Muller from Medway received a crucial tip from a member of the public in Hampshire, who claimed to have knowledge of Carr’s location. Additionally, Hampshire police had received another anonymous call from a different individual, indicating that Carr was seen regularly in the Portsmouth area.

Based on this information, Hampshire police moved to arrest Carr, who was subsequently taken into custody. He is now expected to be transferred to Kent for further legal proceedings. Detective Constable Muller expressed her satisfaction with the rapid response from the public, stating, “We are delighted with the speed at which the information came in enabling us to find and arrest him so quickly.”

Tony Carr, aged 50, was wanted by authorities for breaching the conditions of his release. Specifically, he failed to notify police of his current address, which is a violation of the terms set out for sex offenders. Carr’s criminal history is extensive, with 31 convictions for indecent exposure spanning from 1975 to 2006. These offenses primarily took place in Kent, Hampshire, and London. Notably, in March 2006, Carr was sentenced to three years in prison after being caught exposing himself in front of children in Chatham and Aylesford, as well as exposing himself to a woman and her son on separate occasions.

Although he was released from prison in January 2007, Carr’s freedom was short-lived. He was recalled to custody twice for breaching his license conditions. His latest release occurred in April of this year, but he once again failed to comply with the terms, including not attending approved premises within the county and neglecting to inform police of his current address. Carr remains subject to the notification requirements under the Sex Offences Act 2003 for life and is under a sex offender prevention order. His repeated breaches highlight ongoing concerns about his compliance and the potential risk he poses to the community.