EAST Lancashire's most wanted paedophile has escaped capture after police arrested him - and then let him go without realising who he was.

Joshua Karney, 30, was jailed for 15 months in November 2002, for plying a 14-year-old boy with cider and trying to grope and have sex with him.

But he has been missing since April 2003, when he went on the run after being released on licence from prison and told to report to a Blackburn bail hostel.

It has now been revealed that he was arrested for drunken behaviour in Barnsley in November.

But he was able to give officers in South Yorkshire the slip by giving a false name - and was released on bail before checks were made and his true identity was discovered.

It is understood that national police protocol dictates that the fingerprints of anyone arrested are checked against the police national database to see if they are wanted for other crimes before they are released from custody.

Pendle councillor David Whipp, who is also a member of the Lancashire Police Authority said: "This matter needs to be investigated and I will be demanding explanations from South Yorkshire police as to why they have allowed this to happen."

Blackburn MP and Justice Minister Jack Straw has vowed to look at the situation.

He said: "We must not jump to conclusions about what has happened but I will certainly be asking for more information from the police."

It is not known why the checks were not completed by South Yorkshire police.

Yesterday the force said it was unable to make a statement about the incident because all press officers finished work at 5pm.

Karney was arrested less than two months ago on November 24 and was finger-printed and DNA samples were taken.

But officers did not realise that he was a wanted criminal until earlier this month.

Karney, who was described as "very high risk" when he went on the run, is wanted by Lancashire police and the national Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre.

CEOP have published a photograph of Karney on their website and last November digitally aged the image in a bid to update the search.

In 2002 Burnley Crown Court heard how Karney, who has links across East Lancashire, moved to Barnoldswick and was camping when he attacked his victim.

As well as being jailed for 15 months, he was given an extended licence of two years, banned from working with children and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years, after admitting indecent assault.

Karney is known to travel throughout the United Kingdom and in the past has used several names including, Mark Moffitt, Devon Daniels, Aiden or Aaron Wiely, Kieran Arran O'Shea or James O'Shaun.

He has a strong Dublin accent, pierced left eyebrow, pierced left ear, large birthmark on the centre of his back and is slim.

Anyone with information about Karney's whereabouts can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.