A MAN found guilty of blackmail in his absence is being hunted by police.
Paul Tyler, 39, of Woodley Close, Romsey, was convicted by a jury at Portsmouth Crown Court of blackmailing an Eastleigh businessman out of £4,000 by threatening to expose him as a paedophile.
Tyler has been missing since November when he skipped bail and failed to turn up at court back in November.
Tyler, along with co-defendents Karl Bate, 30, of Hanns Way, Eastleigh, and Nicholas Hellyer, 24, of Elm Grove, Eastleigh, will be sentenced at Southampton Crown Court in early June.
They were found guilty of blackmailing the 68-year-old victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons. Bate posed as a Daily Echo reporter investigating the victim's relationships with young men.
Tyler has connections in the Romsey, Eastleigh, Southampton and Portsmouth areas. Anyone with information about his whereabouts should contact PC Jon Davies at Eastleigh CID on 0845 045 4545.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article