Rapist held after chase

Our exclusive picture shows officers arresting Steve Barton seconds after he was brought down by a German shepherd police dog, marking an end to a 48-hour hunt.

Barton and Kayleigh Quinn were spotted yesterday evening as the teenager returned to her home in Rectory Close, Pulborough.

She tried to escape by jumping from a window and running with Barton across nearby fields but was found safe and well minutes later at 5.31pm in Broomers Hill Lane.

Inspector Neil Moscrop, of Sussex Police, told The Argus: "Barton tried to evade being captured but he couldn't outrun a police tracker dog."

An eyewitness described how moments earlier Barton had tried to evade police by hiding in a bush but officers saw his legs sticking out.

Barton, 23, who was residing at Purbrook, Hampshire, was jailed for 12 years in 1996 for raping a 92-year-old woman near her late husband's grave in St Mary's Church, Storrington. He was 15 at the time.

He was released in August last year after serving six years.

Barton was arrested yesterday in connection with alleged bail offences linked to an unrelated charge and was taken to Crawley police station for questioning.

This morning he appeared at Crawley Magistrates' Court and admitted being in breach of a residency order. He was remanded in custody to reappear on an unrelated assault charge on July 7.

Kayleigh, a hair and beauty student at Chichester College, left Pulborough with her parents Michelle and Anthony for an undisclosed location where she was being comforted last night.

She was talking to officers and being interviewed by detectives about any possible offences.

Mr Moscrop added: "We were only moments away when they fled the house. It would appear they had returned to get some food or clothing.

"Having got there, she fled almost immediately. By chance we had people close by and they walked into a search team of officers on the footpath.

"She was not pleased to be detained but didn't run away. She was concerned as to what Mr Barton might do."

Kayleigh's father Anthony Quinn, 37, a building site manager, said after receiving the news: "I am just ecstatic, really happy.

"I will now be offering her a shoulder to cry on. I will not be ticking her off.

"We need some privacy now to sort her out. She is only 16 and very vulnerable.

"I just want to see my daughter and make sure she is okay. I'm sure she is pretty hungry.

"I will not bring up anything about Mr Barton. I will leave it to her to discuss it with me."

Earlier, he told how he had clashed with his daughter about her relationship with Barton before the pair went missing.

He said his daughter's disappearance had taken him totally by surprise as she had never run away before.

He confessed his daughter's relationship with Barton had been causing friction in the family.

Mr Quinn, who divorced Kayleigh's mother Michelle nine years ago, said: "I asked my daughter not to see Mr Barton. About a month or two ago I was told they had been seen together and I disapproved.

"But she is a 16-year-old girl. Obviously she had a problem with me stopping her from seeing him.

"I wanted to get her away from him for obvious reasons. I certainly knew him by reputation.

"I knew there was a group of friends she would see and he obviously infiltrated that group. She told me she was not having a relationship with him but that may have changed without my knowledge."

Kayleigh was with Barton when she disappeared at 7pm on Tuesday from the home she shared with her mother.

The pair went on the run after leaving a blood-stained note, found pinned to a fence near her home, which suggested they planned to kill themselves.

Kayleigh's family endured an anxious time as they grew increasingly concerned for her safety.

Officers yesterday held a Press conference to make a direct appeal to the runaways where Chief Inspector Sally Simmonds said: "We are worried about you and your parents are worried about you."

Mr Quinn also made a direct appeal.

He said: "I do not blame Kayleigh in any way for anything she has done and I just want her to come home safely. She is not going to be in any bother from me or my ex-wife."

He said his daughter had seemed very happy until about two months ago when frictions began to surface. He said he did not know what was going on in her mind to make her take off but he just wanted her to come home.

Police yesterday revealed they were stepping up their hunt for the pair because they believed Kayleigh was at risk, saying they wanted to ensure both she and Barton were safe.

Police said there was no suggestion she went with Barton against her will.

However, the pair managed to evade police, despite a major search involving 30 officers and the force helicopter, by sleeping rough and using remote country footpaths.

Officers closed in after they were seen several times in the Pulborough area yesterday and Wednesday.

Ms Simmonds said: "Steven is in custody and Kayleigh is with her parents and police officers. It appears she is very upset.

"We do not know whether any offences have taken place.

"This is a huge relief to her family and the police."

Asked why it had taken almost 48 hours to find the couple, who ran away on foot, Ms Simmonds said: "We were searching a very large rural area in West Sussex.

"The pair were using remote footpaths in wooded areas, which made it very difficult for them to be found."

The officer said it was too early to say whether Kayleigh had suffered any emotional damage or if she had returned home specifically to collect more personal belongings before running away again.

The news of Kayleigh's safe return brought relief in Spierbridge Road, Storrington, where friends had been rallying around her grandmother, Pauline Steele.

One neighbour said: "Her mum and dad will be very relieved.

"I haven't seen the family today, because there have been a lot of comings and goings but I know they are close."

Before moving to Hampshire, Barton lived in a bungalow with his father Jimmy just a few doors down.

A Spierbridge Road resident, who asked not to be named, said: "He kept knocking on the door for my son and I told him I didn't want him knocking but he wouldn't go away.

"I have known Steven since he was a baby. He is always coming across as the hard nut and he used to give his mum a lot of grief when he was growing up.

"He used to come round here and go fishing with my lads but he was polite."

Friends of Kayleigh's family told The Argus she had heard about Barton's criminal past but didn't believe it was true.

Ms Simmonds said: "I am very satisfied with the way this incident has concluded.

"I would like to thank all the members of the public who have phoned in and assisted us with tracing Kayleigh and Steven.

"I am pleased with the police operation undertaken in response to this incident and relieved both people have been found safe and well."

In a prepared joint statement, the Quinn family said: "We want to thank Sussex Police for all the help and effort they have given us, as well as the media and the public who have been so vigilant.

"We were impressed by the professionalism displayed by the police, their Press office and the media.

"We would now like to move on with our lives and would ask that our privacy is respected during this difficult time."