THE Brighton Cat Killer was on the run after failing to turn up to court.

Steve Bouquet, 54, from Rose Hill Terrace, was found guilty of killing nine cats and injuring seven more in a string of attacks in the city that left police stumped.

The security guard failed to turn up to court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Police apprehended him in Brighton on Monday night after a tip off from a member of the public who saw him drinking and behaving oddly in a city park.

READ MORE: Cat Killer is found GUILTY on all charges

His location was kept secret from the jury who took three hours to find him guilty.

One woman who saw him in Queen's Park said: "You have pictures of him across internet, I just recognized him.

"I stayed around two hours checking on how he was behaving, I stayed with one of the local cats until his mum took him away because he was literally sitting in front of us."

His location was kept secret from the jury who took three hours to find him guilty.

Bouquet will be arrested when doctors have finished assessing his physical and mental state.