Katie Piper attacker might be abroad after licence breach police say

Stefan Sylestre could be abroad after breaching his licence, police say

The man who attacked model and campaigner Katie Piper with acid might have fled the UK, police said.

Stefan Sylvestre is wanted by police after breaching his licence conditions.

He received a life sentence in 2009 after throwing sulphuric acid at Ms Piper's face, on the orders of her former partner Daniel Lynch.

Sylvestre was released on licence in 2018 but has now been recalled to prison. Officers said he should not be approached.

The Metropolitan Police force said it was notified on 23 September that Sylvestre, 34, had been recalled to prison.

His last known address was in north London.

Police said inquiries indicated that Sylvestre had left the UK on 2 August.

Officers from the Met's Specialist Crime Command were continuing to work with partner agencies to locate and arrest him, it said.

Sylvestre, who lives in Shepherd's Bush, attacked Ms Piper in March 2008 at the request of her obsessive ex-boyfriend Lynch.

He was jailed for a minimum of 16 years for sexually assaulting Ms Piper and telling Sylvestre to throw acid over her.

The 2008 attack left Piper with permanent scars

The attack left Ms Piper with serious injuries and permanent scarring and she has had hundreds of surgeries to repair damage to her face and eyesight.

• Carrying acid could lead to jail term

When Sylvestre was released in 2018, the Parole Board's decision summary said he had "displayed empathy for the victim and expressed remorse and shame for his actions".

It said he had avoided anti-social behaviour while imprisoned, had "repaired his relationship" with his family and had "completed relevant offence-focused work to challenge and change his attitude and thinking".

A Probation Service spokesperson said: "We are urgently working with the police to bring the offender back to prison, where he'll face longer behind bars."