Convicted paedo who climbed fence to escape secure hospital before going on the run has been found


Stephen Munden left the grounds of Mildmay Oaks in Winchfield, near Hook in Hampshire, on Tuesday evening.

Hampshire Constabulary said the 54-year-old handed himself into police in the Thames Valley at about 00:45 GMT.

He was given a hospital order in 2014 after being convicted of sexually assaulting a child and possessing indecent images of children.

A police spokesman said: “He has been detained and taken to a mental health facility.”

Munden was described by police as a “vulnerable adult” with mental health treatment needs.

Hospital operators Partnerships in Care (PIC) said Munden was held in a locked ward inside the hospital and kept under supervision when outside.

Police searching for convicted paedophile who has gone missing from Hampshire hospital

A convicted sex offender climbed a fence to escape a secure hospital before going on the run, police have said.

Stephen Munden, 54, left the grounds of Mildmay Oaks in Winchfield, Hampshire, on Tuesday evening.

He is still at large despite a helicopter being used as part of an “extensive search”.

Munden is described by police as a “vulnerable adult” with mental health treatment needs.

He was given a hospital order in 2014 after he was convicted for sexually assaulting a child and possessing indecent images of children.

Stephen Munden, 54, left the hospital in Winchfield, near Hook, at about 6.15pm on Tuesday, April 21, and hasn’t been seen since.

He is described as about 5ft 8ins tall, of a heavy build, and has dark hair.

He did have a very full beard, but it is believed he may have shaved it off prior to leaving the hospital.

Munden was detained at the facility under a hospital order after being sentenced for sexual offences in 2014.

These were possessing, making and attempting to make indecent images of children, and sexual assault on a child under 13.

Anyone with information is urged to call Hampshire Constabulary on 101.


August 2014

Court convicts man of sexual touching after incident involving three-year-old on bus

A man with a “fanatical obsession” with small girls targeted a three-year-old child on a bus, a court heard.

Stephen Munden deliberately sat near the child and stroked her hand with his finger – in full view of the girl’s mother and grandmother.

Munden, formerly of Brittany Gardens in Marchwood, was subsequently convicted of sexually touching a child under the age of 13.

The 53-year-old had denied the offence, claiming the touching was accidental.

Appearing at Southampton Crown Court for sentencing, Munden heard David Jenkins, prosecuting, tell Judge Peter Henry that the defendant had admitted ten unrelated offences of possessing or attempting to possess indecent images of children.

The defendant was arrested after using one of the public computers at Hythe library in an attempt to download images, the court heard.

Mr Jenkins said children’s clothes, books and dolls were found at Munden’s home and added: “He has a fanatical obsession with young girls.”

Consultant physiatrist John O’Shea said the defendant was autistic and also suffered from mild learning difficulties.

He had difficulty controlling his sexual interest in small children but the girl on the bus was probably unaware of his intentions, said Mr O’Shea.

Keely Harvey, in mitigation, added: “He did not accept that he deliberately touched the child’s hand.”

But the judge said: “The move from non-contact offences to a contact offence is significant.”

Munden was made the subject of a hospital order and detained under the Mental Health Act.