Fugitive Sex Offender Nabbed After 3 Years on Run
James Ernest Williams, aka Alan John Appleton, has finally been caught after nearly three years on the run. The 55-year-old was one of Devon & Cornwall Police’s most wanted since October 2020 for breaching his prison release conditions.
Failed to Show at Court
Williams skipped a hearing at Newton Abbott Magistrates Court on December 9, 2020, triggering a manhunt. He’d been dodging the law ever since.
Arrested on Isle of Wight Boat
Last Tuesday night, officers swooped on Folly Lane in Whippingham, Isle of Wight, arresting Williams at his riverside boat on the River Medina. He was taken to Newport Police Station for questioning.
His look changed dramatically — he’d put on weight and grown out his hair and beard, making him harder to spot.
Charged and Remanded
Originally from Manchester but with deep South Devon roots in Torbay and Dartmouth, Williams faces two counts of failing to comply with sex offender notification rules. He was remanded in custody and is set to appear in Portsmouth Magistrates Court on June 30.
The case escalated to the Crown Court last Thursday, with a new hearing scheduled for August 5. Clarence Street in Dartmouth was Williams’ last known address before his fugitive days.
