Police are urgently appealing for assistance in locating a convicted murderer who is wanted for emergency recall to prison, after he breached his release licence.
If they see him, people are asked not to approach him, as he is considered dangerous. but instead to call the police immediately on 999.
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| Mrs Maureen Comfort murdered by Kerr |
Kerr (53) was jailed for life along with co-defendant Christopher Moody, for the murder of a female friend, Mrs Maureen Comfort (43). The murder, by strangulation, took place in December 1995 after which her body was hidden in a cupboard in her flat in Leeds. She was not discovered until several several weeks later, when relatives became concerned that they had not heard from her for a while.
Kerr was arrested but for some reason was granted bail, which he skipped and went on the run for three years until his eventual rearrest. He was sentenced to life imprisonment at Leeds Crown Court on 26 June 1998, and released on licence on 23 January 2015.
The National Offender Management Service contacted North Yorkshire Police for assistance after Kerr absconded from approved premises, a halfway house in Hull.
His current whereabouts are not known, however he is known to have links to the Humberside, West Yorkshire and London areas. Officers are currently conducting extensive enquiries to locate him as a matter of urgency.
Two photographs of Kerr have been circulated to the press and published on social media.
Detective Inspector Eamonn Clarke, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “To assist our already extensive efforts to trace William Kerr, I am urging people to keep an eye out for the man in the photographs.
“We ask that you do not approach Kerr, as he is considered dangerous. You should contact the police straight away on 999 and officers will be despatched to arrest him or investigate the sighting.”
DI Clarke is also appealing directly to Kerr: “William, you know you have breached your licence conditions, and by continuing to do so you are only making things worse. It is now time to do the right thing and hand yourself in to the police.”
If you have seen William Kerr or have information about his current whereabouts, please dial 999 and pass details to North Yorkshire Police stating the “William Kerr appeal”.
If you would prefer to remain anonymous, please contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, quoting North Yorkshire Police reference number 12150049525 and say it is “urgent”.