SURREY Police has released photos of four men wanted on warrant in Guildford and Waverley to generate help in trying to find them. It is also hoped the move will encourage the defendants who have skipped bail to hand themselves in. The aim of the initiative is to help reduce further the number of outstanding FTA (fail to appear) bail warrants and to send a strong message to bail offenders that they will not be able to breach the authority of the court. West Surrey superintendent operations Adrian Harper said: "A recent article in a local newspaper highlighted the burden on police to hunt down those offenders who have already been charged for offences but choose to skip bail. These investigations are extremely time-consuming, tying up valuable police resources trying to find the absconders – time which could be spent more effectively in keeping Surrey safe and preventing crime." "We are appealing to the public for help in bringing these offenders to justice. However, this is also an opportunity for the people concerned to surrender to custody. We are urging them to hand themselves in as the court will take into account anyone who voluntarily gives themselves up. "However, if police have to find them, they could go to jail just for skipping bail." The four wanted by police for jumping bail in Guildford and Waverley are: Malik Saeed Akhter, 36, last known at an address in Woking. Akhter was arrested in April 2004 on suspicion of two indecent assaults, one in Guildford in 2003 and the other near Haslemere in April 2004. He is wanted on warrant for failing to appear before magistrates in May 2004. Gary Stuart Hall, 26, of no fixed address although formerly of Guildford. Hall is wanted on warrant for breach of a community order imposed for aggravated vehicle taking and driving offences which took place in February last year. The warrant for his arrest was issued by South West Surrey Magistrates Court on October 23, 2006. Dominic Simbarashe Nyadore, 20, last known at addresses in Hindhead and Guildford. Nyadore was arrested in March last year on suspicion of theft in Hindhead. He is now wanted for failing to appear at court and a warrant for his arrest was issued by South West Surrey Magistrates on September 22, 2006. Scott Thomas McCallum, 31, last known at an address in Guildford. McCallum was arrested in September last year for driving while disqualified. He failed to appear before South West Surrey Magistrates and a warrant for his arrest was issued on November 13, 2006. There are currently a total of 55 outstanding warrants in West Surrey, which includes bench warrants issued by the Crown Court. Of these six have addresses in Guildford and 10 in Waverley. The remainder are either 'no fixed abode' or have addresses elsewhere in the country. The magistrates court in Guildford issues on average 39 warrants per month which covers fail to appear, first instance and breach of bail warrants, with the majority not backed for bail. This means they are charged to appear directly at court the following day. A consistent focus is required by officers to trace bail jumpers otherwise the number outstanding can soon creep up. Supt Harper explained: "Officers in West Surrey have been working hard over the last 18 months to reduce the number of outstanding bail warrants resulting in a cut of 20 per cent. "However, with the assistance of local papers we will be releasing details of those people we want to trace to bring more people back before the courts to face justice for their actions." Appealing directly to those defendants who have skipped bail, Supt Harper added: "If you know you are someone wanted by police for failing to appear, and don't want to feature in your local paper, I would urge you to surrender now." Most FTA warrants are for minor offences such as speeding or minor assault. The warrants issued for more serious offences are usually dealt with as a priority. Anyone with information is asked to contact Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222 for all non-emergency policing matters. Anyone wishing to remain annonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. And Call 999 if you have a genuine emergency requiring the attendance of the police (e.g. a crime is in progress or someone is in immediate danger).
