A MAN whose disappearance sparked a police hunt because it was feared he had malaria has been charged over a sex attack on a young woman, the Daily Echo can reveal.

Matthew Lloyd left the country last month, shortly after being arrested and quizzed over the assault he allegedly carried out on a woman as she walked home in Southampton.

The 37-year-old, who was working as a nurse at Southampton General Hospital, had also been taking part in a clinical trial to find a cure for malaria.

Concerns were raised when he failed to turn up at an appointment in Oxford, where several others taking part in the trial were found to have contracted the disease.

Detectives in Shirley launched a nationwide appeal to find Lloyd, who had last been seen on CCTV outside a bank in London.

His parents also made an emotional appeal to get him to call home fearing he could be seriously ill.

Not infected

Lloyd, from Shirley Road, Shirley, was eventually located in Holland on October 18 and was treated by Dutch medics before travelling back to Hampshire.

It is understood he was not ill and had not become infected by the disease despite being injected as part of the trial on October 1.

The alleged double attack on the woman took place in the early hours of August 21.

The woman had just finished work at a city centre restaurant and was walking home when she was assaulted, first in Howard Road at about 12.40am, and again on Shirley High Street at around 1am. Lloyd was arrested by police following a call from a Daily Echo reader who recognised him in CCTV footage.

But while he had left the country no warrant was issued for his arrest as he had not breached any terms of his bail. Detectives have now charged Lloyd with carrying out a sexual assault on a female and a further charge of common assault. After initially being held in custody, Lloyd was given bail by the courts.

He is due back before Southampton Magistrates Court on January 5 next year.