A convicted child sex offender who went on the run has been arrested, police have confirmed.

Police launched an appeal to find Craig McAndrew, 34, of Newhaven, who disappeared from his trial in Sussex last week.

McAndrew was believed to be hiding out in the Watford area.

Sussex Police has confirmed McAndrew handed himself in at Watford police station on Saturday morning.

McAndrew had been charged with ten offences of sexual assault on multiple occasions against two girls aged 13, between 2016 and 2018, with the trial beginning at Lewes Crown Court on September 9.

Eight of the offences were committed against one of the girls and two against the other girl.

At the day of that trial, he attended until lunch but then left the trial secretly. The court issued a warrant for his arrest.

The trial then continued and he was found guilty, in his absence, of all offences on September 16.

McAndrew will be sentenced on October 25.

Detective Constable Julie Nightingale of the East Sussex safeguarding investigations unit said: "Following our news and social media appeal for information on McAndrew's whereabouts on 20 September, focusing on Watford where he was born and brought up, he came into Watford police station early on Saturday morning and gave himself up.

"We think the publicity helped make him decide to do this and our thanks go to our colleagues in Hertfordshire Constabulary for their support in this appeal.

"He was returned to Sussex and appeared at Lewes Crown Court today (Monday) where he was remanded in custody for sentencing on 25 October."