A MAN who skipped bail after appearing in court charged with making indecent images of children may have fled toThailand.

Ian Dolan appeared at Durham Crown Court on September 5 last year charged with 16 counts of making indecent images of children between September 2011 and November 2012.

Dolan, formerly of Sampson Place, Newton Aycliffe, also faced charges of possessing more than 5,000 indecent images of children and possessing 70 extreme pornographic images involving animals.

The 48-year-old was granted bail to attend on October 10 last year after the case was adjourned.

However, he failed to show up and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

He has remained on the run for over a year and police are appealing to the public to help track him down.

The Northern Echo was last week contacted by a man who claims he spent time with Dolan in Thailand.

The man, from the Birmingham area, said he struck up a conversation with a middle aged man called Ian Dolan from Newton Aycliffe on a flight from Manchester to Thailand last January.

They hit it off and remained in touch while on holiday and on their return to England, met up in Birmingham that summer.

He claims he next heard from Dolan in October - in between the two court hearings.

“I received a text saying he was in Thailand and that his English number had been cut off,” he said. “He told me he had lost his job and sold his house and planned to start a new life out there.”

Oblivious of the court proceedings, he met up with Dolan when he returned to Phuket in southern Thailand in December.

He said. “During the trip Dolan disappeared and I never heard from him again. I only found out about the court case last week when I read a story online. I am positive it is the same man.”

Detective Sergeant Wayne Barrigan, of Durham Police, said: “Police can confirm that Ian Dolan is still a wanted man and information received indicates that he is in Thailand.

“Enquiries are ongoing to trace Dolan and we would request anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Dolan to contact me at Durham Police on 101”