Police search for child rapist who escaped community leave in Perth

A search has been launched for a child rapist who absconded while on escorted community leave in Perth city centre.

Cliff Lyons Dobbie, who is a restricted patient, is described as a white male, about 5ft 3in (1.6m) tall and of stocky, muscular build.

He has been detained in secure units since 1990 after he raped a 10-year-old girl in Glasgow.

NHS Tayside said it is working with Police Scotland to trace a missing patient, and members of the public are urged not to approach him.

Dobbie, who is bald with light blue eyes and a noticeable squint, was last seen wearing white trainers, light blue ripped jeans, a salmon-coloured golf shirt and a light blue jumper.

He was also wearing a black cap and thick black-rimmed glasses and was seen carrying a black backpack and a black puffer jacket.

Dobbie has distinctive tattoos on both arms, including an image of two blue tiger-like eyes on his right arm and a blue and red Rangers tattoo on his left arm.

He speaks with a strong Glaswegian accent and has links to Glasgow and the surrounding area.

A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: "Due to patient confidentiality, we cannot discuss matters relating to an individual patient.

"NHS Tayside has a policy in place which has procedures for staff to follow in the case of a missing patient and these have been followed in this instance.

"We are working closely with Police Scotland on this matter."

Members of the public who see him or have any information regarding his whereabouts should contact Police Scotland.

Insp Kris McCall added he would be keen to hear from anyone who had seen or spoken to Dobbie since Thursday.

Dobbie - who has also gone by the name Clifford Lyons and by Dobbie - was admitted to Carstairs after the attack on the 10-year-old girl.

At the time he was on bail for another sex offence - molesting a 12-year-old boy after luring him into a field and forcing him to strip.

Secure facilities, such as Carstairs, are used to house people who have committed murder, rape and other serious offences but have been judged by doctors to be mentally ill and in need of treatment.

In 2011 Dobbie brought a judicial review at the Court of Session in Edinburgh against a plan to ban junk food to combat inmate obesity at Carstairs.

He won the legal bid after he successfully claimed he needed high energy drinks and protein bars for his fitness regime.