AMERICAN military chiefs have offered a $10,000 reward for help catching a paedophile airman who escaped from a Suffolk base.

Laurence Cawley

AMERICAN military chiefs have offered a $10,000 reward for help catching a paedophile airman who escaped from a Suffolk base.

Airman Basic Jeremy Parrott, 29, was serving a three year sentence for child pornography offences and was attending a medical appointment at RAF Lakenheath when he fled from a police escort in September.

Despite a reported sighting of him in Brandon and a joint US Air Force Office of Special Investigations and British Ministry of Defence Police hunt he remains at large.

The US authorities have now stepped up their investigation by offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to his arrest and return to custody.

Captain Kelley Jeter, USAF spokeswoman, said the offer was a reflection of how seriously the USAF took desertion and criminal offences within the military.

She said that “wanted” posters would also be put up throughout the local area.

“There have been a couple of sightings in the area, not far from RAF Lakenheath,” she said. “He has deserted from the United States Air Force and he has been sentenced for a criminal act.

“Not only has he fled from his sentence, he has gone against the good order and discipline of the air force.

“To the best of our knowledge he has not harmed anybody since his escape. The Air Force Office of Special Investigation is leading the investigation with other federal, state and law enforcement agencies involved.”

She said she believed authorities in the US had also been alerted to his escape - although it was not known whether he had tried to escape home from the UK.

When he was last seen Parrott was wearing a black or dark blue baseball cap and a dark blue or grey jacket or hooded top and white shoes.

A thorough search of the area was carried out immediately after he disappeared from the base.

He is white, 5ft 10in tall, weighs 15st and has brown hair, green eyes and a fair complexion.

Anybody with information is asked to call 999 or contact the Ministry of Defence Police Control Room on 01371 854444 or RAF Lakenheath on 01638 524631.