HAMPSHIRE police has defended its decision in taking two days to inform the public that a dangerous psychiatric patient was on the run.

Officers say they launched a thorough and robust investigation as soon as they knew that Faysal Diiriye had run away from a member of staff while on escorted leave from the Department of Psychiatry in Southampton last Wednesday.

A spokesman said: "Initially it was believed that Mr Diiriye could be found at his home address and a warrant was granted to search the premises.

"There were several promising early lines of inquiry which were followed extensively. At that stage we did not want to alarm either Mr Diiriye, or the public, through media coverage, as we were confident that he would soon be found or would return to the hospital of his own accord."

It was only when Mr Diiriye failed to return by Friday night that a warning was issued to the public that the 32-year-old was on the run from the hospital, where he had been since February 13.

The spokesman added: "There is a fine line between making the public aware of a case such as this and alarming them, and we do not want to cause public panic.

"Members of the public can be assured that we are still working hard and liaising closely with Mr Diiriye's doctors to find him as quickly as possible."

As previously reported in the Daily Echo, Mr Diiriye went missing after being granted permission to leave the unit, based at the city's Royal South Hants Hospital, for personal reasons. It was while he was on his way back with a staff member that he ran off.

An internal review is now underway by the hospital authority in charge of the unit, the Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust.

Meanwhile, Mr Diiriye, described as posing a potential danger to himself and others, remains on the run.

He was last seen wearing a long, cream-coloured coat and blue jeans. He is black, about 5ft 9in, slim with brown eyes and short black curly hair. Anyone who sees Mr Diiriye is urged not to approach him but to dial 999 immediately.