Police Scotland and NHS Tayside have launched a search for Cliff Lyons Dobbie, a restricted patient convicted of child rape, after he absconded during escorted community leave in Perth city centre. Dobbie, described as a white male roughly 5ft 3in (1.6m) tall with a stocky, muscular build, has been held in secure psychiatric units since 1990 following the rape of a 10-year-old girl in Glasgow. Members of the public are being warned not to approach him and to contact authorities immediately if he is spotted.
According to the Mirror, the escape took place the day before the search was reported, and Dobbie remained at large as of the latest update.
What does Dobbie look like?
He is bald, has light blue eyes and a noticeable squint. At the time he went missing, he was wearing white trainers, light blue ripped jeans, a salmon-coloured golf shirt and a light blue jumper, along with a black cap and thick black-rimmed glasses. He was also carrying a black backpack and a black puffer jacket.
Dobbie has distinctive tattoos on both arms — two blue tiger-like eyes on his right arm and a blue and red Rangers emblem on his left. He speaks with a strong Glaswegian accent and is known to have connections to Glasgow and the surrounding area.
What has NHS Tayside said about the disappearance?
NHS Tayside confirmed it is cooperating with Police Scotland but declined to discuss specifics of the case, citing patient confidentiality obligations. A spokesperson said:
"Due to patient confidentiality, we cannot discuss matters relating to an individual patient. NHS Tayside has a policy in place which has procedures for staff to follow in the case of a missing patient and these have been followed in this instance. We are working closely with Police Scotland on this matter."
Insp Kris McCall of Police Scotland said he was particularly interested in hearing from anyone who had seen or spoken with Dobbie since Thursday.
What is Dobbie's criminal history?
Dobbie, who has also used the names Clifford Lyons and Dobbie, was committed to the State Hospital at Carstairs following his conviction for raping the 10-year-old girl. At the time of that offence, he was already on bail for a separate sexual assault involving a 12-year-old boy, whom he lured into a field and forced to strip.
Carstairs and similar secure facilities are used to detain individuals who have committed serious violent or sexual offences but have been assessed by medical professionals as suffering from mental illness requiring treatment rather than standard imprisonment.
In 2011, Dobbie successfully challenged a proposed ban on junk food at Carstairs, which had been introduced to tackle inmate obesity. He brought a judicial review before the Court of Session in Edinburgh and won, arguing that he required high-energy drinks and protein bars to support his fitness routine.
Key Facts
- Cliff Lyons Dobbie absconded during escorted community leave in Perth city centre.
- He has been detained since 1990 for raping a 10-year-old girl in Glasgow.
- He was on bail for molesting a 12-year-old boy at the time of that offence.
- NHS Tayside and Police Scotland are jointly searching for him; the public is urged not to approach him.
- According to the Mirror, he remains on the run following the escape.
