THE girlfriend of a child sex offender who went on the run with him is expected to return home after being told she will not face charges.

Gerard Hayslop sparked a land and sea search in August when he and Louise Howarth-Leigh went missing after leaving a campsite in Jersey to go kayaking.

Hayslop, who was convicted of making indecent photographs of a child in July but went missing before being sentenced, went on the run in France after paddling 12 miles to the coast.

He was jailed for 12 months for prostitution offences this week after being arrested in Paris.

Howarth-Leigh was also arrested but police have said that she is not wanted in connection with any offences and is expected to return to England.

Police have issued a European arrest warrant to bring Hayslop back to the UK to face sentencing for the child pornography offence.

They are working with French authorities to determine the length of his sentence in France but confirmed he would be brought back to serve his sentence.

The couple's disappearance had baffled police in Jersey. They had used the false names Andrew Keeble and Hannah Tye and left an address in Healey Wood Road in the town.

They were only identified when Hayslop phoned his father to tell him he was in France asking for money.

Hayslop's father, Gerard Hayslop Snr, who contacted the police after his son's phonecall, said he was glad to hear of the arrest.

He said: "Louise has been used by him and has not been guilty in this so I'm glad she is not in any trouble.

"The type of offences make all this very difficult to deal with.

"He's my child so I can't hate him but the type of crime makes it so I can't love him either.

"He will have to come home and face up to everything he has done and I hope Louise puts everything behind her and goes back to her family."

A police spokesperson said: "The girlfriend is not part of our investigation. She has not been arrested or charged with anything in France. We believe she is still in France.

"We have been liaising with the British Counsel to see how she is and she is expected to return to England now that Hayslop has been imprisoned."

In July 26-year-old Hayslop was convicted of making indecent photographs of a child and ordered to sign the sex offenders' register, but did not return to Burnley Crown Court.