A man who escaped from a Maidstone courthouse is still missing almost a week later.

Daniel McAvoy, also known as Daniel Murray, appeared at Maidstone Magistrates' Court last Tuesday charged with assaulting his girlfriend.

The 42-year-old, who should be serving a four-and-a-half year sentence for burglarly and fraud, appeared in the dock handcuffed to two prison guards.

McAvoy, who has links to Ashford, Swale and Dartford, stood in court room two and admitted charges of assault by beating and obstructing a police officer following an incident where he pushed his girlfriend's head into a bar, leaving her bloodied.

After being sentenced to a further 90 days to run concurrently to his current sentence, he was taken back down to the holding cells - still handcuffed to GEOAmey custody guards.

However, the Palace Avenue building went into lockdown minutes later when a prison guard raised the alarm that McAvoy was missing.

Shaven-headed McAvoy, the stepson of an armed robber, was seen sheepishly strolling out of the front door and turning right towards Gabriel's Hill. He has not been seen since.

McAvoy appeared at Lewes Crown Court earlier this year and was handed a three-year jail term for burgling a home.

He was also slapped with three concurrent 12-month sentences to run consecutively and a 6-month consecutive term for six counts of fraud.

A police spokesman said: "Police were called to Maidstone Magistrates' Court at 11.50am. It is reported that Daniel Paul Murray, who is 42 and has connections to Swale, Ashford and Dartford, allegedly absconded from the court where he appeared earlier today.

"Officers are currently searching for Murray, who also uses the name Daniel McAvoy, and enquiries are on-going.

"He had appeared in connection with a domestic abuse incident. He is not believed to be a risk to the public."

A GEOAmey spokesman said: "We have begun an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident”

The security firm is also investigating how a second prisoner escaped from custody at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday.

Emergency services scrambled to the Barker Court premises after Stephen Fry escaped and plunged into the River Medway.

The 26-year-old was detained by police on the river's edge and returned to court.

A Kent Police spokesman confirmed inquiries are on-going.