A CONVICTED paedophile was being hunted by British police last night after escaping while on a supervised outing to a theme park packed with children.
Police warned the public not to approach Trevor Holland (52), whom they described as violent and who has a history of absconding.
Holland, who is a patient at the Eric Sheppard Secure Unit in Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire, was on a day trip to the Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey.
Outraged children's charities condemned health officials for allowing the outing and called for action to prevent similar visits by other sex offenders.
As details of the security lapse emerged, the Health Minister, Mr Gerald Malone, demanded a report on the incident. He described security arrangements surrounding Holland, who has two convictions for indecency with young boys, as "clearly inadequate".
He added: "We all ought to be able to rely on being able to take our children to enjoy themselves in places like Chessington World of Adventures without being at risk from people at large whom both the courts and medical professionals judge to be unfit to return to the community."
Earlier this year Holland, who was recently convicted for affray, was moved to a more secure unit after absconding.
The judge who sentenced him had urged authorities to watch him with "great care."
Mr Tom Freeman, chief executive of Horizon NHS Trust, defended the decision to allow Holland out but admitted: "If he falls in or meets up with the wrong people who might lead him into compromising positions with children it could be very serious."
Mr Freeman told a news conference that relatives of Holland's victims had been warned that he was at large as he had previously tried to make phone calls to them.
He said Holland had also been convicted in the past of sending obscene literature to children under the age of 16.
Mr Freeman said the escape happened when Holland went to the toilet at the Monkey Puzzle pub near the World of Adventures park. He failed to come out and the male nurse with him raised the alarm.