Police issue warning to those helping 'wanted' Barnsley man evade arrest

Jonathan Osbourne is wanted by South Yorkshire Police over a burglary and criminal damage at a woman’s house in April.

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Since the incident the woman has received threats.

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Osbourne, who officers believe could hold vital information, knows he is wanted by South Yorkshire Police.

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In a series of Facebook posts the 26-year-old has taunted the force, posting photographs of places he has visited, including an Indian restaurant.

Now, Detective Chief Inspector Paul Murphy, who is leading the police search, said: “I need the public to help me track down Jonathan Osbourne.

“People living in the community know where he is and I need that information.

“I’d urge anyone who has even the smallest bit of information to contact us and be confident in doing so. Our enquiries are continuing and I would like to reassure the community that we will find this man.”

He added: “We have information that suggests that some people are helping Osbourne to evade the police.

“It is a criminal offence to assist and harbour an offender, and we will arrest any such individual found to be doing this.”

Osbourne, known as ‘Jonny’, is thought to be in the Wombwell area.

He is slim, around 5ft 9ins tall and has short, brown hair.

Last October, two brothers from Sheffield who were on the run from South Yorkshire police also taunted the force on Facebook.

Declan and Elliott Bower posted a photograph on The Star’s Facebook page mocking officers who had issued an appeal for information to help find the pair.

Declan, 23, was wanted for questioning about an attempted murder, serious assault and driving while disqualified.

His younger brother Elliott, 19, was wanted in connection with a serious assault, failing to attend court and failing to have a drug assessment. 

They were finally caught when they crashed a car during a police chase in Sheffield which left four people dead.

The brothers, of Harborough Avenue, Manor, were in a car with, Mason Cartledge, 18, at the time of the horror smash in Darnall last November.

Elliott was jailed for 11 years after pleading guilty to four counts of causing death by dangerous driving, three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and possession of cannabis.de.

Declan entered guilty pleas to aggravated vehicle taking, death caused by an accident with aggravating factors, two counts of driving while disqualified, two counts of driving without insurance, possession of a bladed article and possession of cannabis.

He was jailed for a total of seven years and 10 months.

Mason Cartledge, of Severnside Place, Woodhouse, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, death caused by an accident with aggravating factors and possession of cannabis.

He was also jailed for a total of seven years and 10 months.

The collision on Main Road, Darnall, caused the deaths of Adnan Ashraf, 35, his 16-month-old son Mohammed Osman Mustafa Bin Adnan; and husband and wife Miroslav Duna, 50 and Vlasta Dunova, 41.

Police officers searching for the Bower brothers located them on the Sheffield Parkway on the night of the collision, driving a stolen VW Golf with cloned licence plates.

Anyone who spots Osbourne is urged to dial 999 immediately.

Those who know where he might be, should call South Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote incident number 718 of April 28. Crimestoppers can also be contacted, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.