A blue-haired suspect being hunted by police for alleged assault has commented on his own wanted post – to defend his hairstyle and poke fun at his critics.
Warwickshire Police posted an older photograph of Darren Whitmore to Facebook on Wednesday, alongside an appeal for information about his whereabouts.
In the image, Whitmore, from Nuneaton, is seen with natural brown hair – but locals were quick to confirm in the comments that he now sports a bright blue hairdo.
Some even poked fun at Whitmore’s current locks, prompting the wanted man to emerge in the comments himself to defend his distinctive look.
One user described his hairstyle as ‘like a Poundland Smurf,’ to which Whitmore responded: ‘Dunno what you look like hiding your Facebook profile. What you hiding away?
Warwickshire Police posted an older photograph of Darren Whitmore (pictured with his current hairdo) to Facebook on Wednesday, alongside an appeal for information about his whereabouts
‘I bet you message from behind the curtain as well. Such a sad man stop moving the curtains your mum will tell you off nugget chops.’
Warwickshire Police posted the appeal for information on Wednesday, explaining they wanted to speak with Whitmore in connection with an assault.
The force said: ‘We’re appealing to the public to help locate 37-year-old Darren Whitmore from Nuneaton.
‘We would like to speak to him in connection with an assault in December.
‘Darren is white, 6ft, and of a slim build. He has bright blue hair and a large tattoo of a panther on his left arm. He has links to Nuneaton and Bedworth.’
In the image, Whitmore, from Nuneaton, is seen with natural brown hair (pictured) – but locals were quick to confirm in the comments that he now sports a bright blue hairdo
One user described his hairstyle as ‘like a Poundland Smurf,’ to which Whitmore responded: ‘Dunno what you look like hiding your Facebook profile. What you hiding away?’
The post gained more than 100 comments from locals, some of whom received responses from Whitmore himself when they mocked his hairdo.
One user wrote: ‘Was the assault to his barber by any chance?’
Another added: ‘He’s probably down the bingo hall with the blue rinse gang.’
One man pointed out how old the photograph shared by police was, to which Whitmore replied: ‘I was 16.’
Another Facebook user wrote: ‘If you fancy a laugh search him on Facebook’ and Whitmore liked the comment with a heart emoji.
He then replied: ‘Search my name it’s not hard like and check the top fans out. Warwickshire’s finest ain’t ya girls.’
Pictured: Whitmore, who is wanted in connection with an alleged assault last December
Some users poked fun at Whitmore’s current locks, prompting the wanted man to emerge in the comments himself to defend his distinctive look
She replied to say it was him people were mocking and not her, to which Whitmore replied: ‘I love your banter, it is nearly as bad your hair do. Mine’s blue, I got an excuse what’s yours?’
He ended the conversation on a pleasant note after she admitted her ribbing could do with improving and asked to call it quits.
Whitmore said: ‘Let’s call it quits you have yourself a pleasant evening and thanks for the abuse too’.
The wanted man also became involved in a heated argument with a women who claimed to be the sister of the person he allegedly assaulted.
Another woman said: ‘He’s turned up on his own police appeal and started giving it loads to people.’
The comments come after Facebook users who mocked a fugitive drug dealer’s ‘receding hairline’ were previously warned they could be prosecuted for bullying. Pictured: Jermaine Taylor
After a barrage of comments, with some 80,000 left, Gwent Police said: ‘Please remember that harassing, threatening and abusing people on social media can be against the law’
The comments come after Facebook users who mocked a fugitive drug dealer’s ‘receding hairline’ were previously warned they could be prosecuted for bullying.
Gwent Police released a mugshot of Jermaine Taylor, 21, from Newport, south east Wales in August 2019 as he was wanted on recall to prison.
But their appeal for help in finding him was met with facetious comments, with many choosing to use the opportunity for a joke.
Lea Hook wrote: ‘He was last seen in town; Police are combing the area.’ While Matt Price said: ‘Push his release date back further than his hair line, that should teach him.’
Others also made puns on the police search, with Lyndsey Skinner saying: ‘How fast was he on the run? G force has taken his hair.’
But after the barrage of comments, with some 80,000 left, Gwent Police said: ‘Please remember that harassing, threatening and abusing people on social media can be against the law.
‘Our advice is to be as careful on social media as you would in any other form of communication.
‘If you say something about someone which is grossly offensive or is of an indecent, obscene or menacing character, then you could be investigated by the police.’
Anyone with information about Whitmore’s whereabouts is asked to call 101.