Police have caught up with a man who escaped from hospital while under arrest.

Police threw the net wide for Kevin Brooker, 32, who has links across east London, eventually finding him in the coastal town of Harwich, in Essex, yesterday.

He was charged today (July 27) with escaping from lawful custody while at Homerton Hospital.

Brooker was first arrested for failing to appear at crown court to answer drugs charges.

After telling officers he had taken a quanitity of Class A drugs, he was taken immediately to hospital. 

From there he hatched his escape, fleeing from officers while waiting to be examined at the hospital's A&E.

He will appear in custody tomorrow at Thames Magistrates' Court.