Update 3.40pm - Police say they're patrolling Mellieħa area
- 1.95m UK native was sighted on 1 July
- He is unshaven, with blood on his legs and wearing shorts and white-and-blue striped shirt
- The "gentle giant" may appear confused as he usually requires daily diabetes medication
A man first reported missing in late May is most likely disorientated, lost and in need of help and support, his relatives have said.
Tom Stewart, 59, escaped Mount Carmel hospital in late May and has been missing ever since.
He was sighted in the early evening of 1 July walking from Birkirkara towards Mosta, and relatives believed he was heading towards Attard.
Relatives today said they had reason to believe Mr Stewart is now in the Mellieħa area. Police confirmed that they were carrying out frequent patrols of the area and neighbouring areas, although they stopped short of saying Mr Stewart had been sighted.
Judging by the description witnesses provided following last Friday's sighting, Mr Thomas has lost a lot of weight, is unshaven and has blood on his legs and feet. He is wearing chino-style shorts, a blue and white striped t-shirt and a battered old straw hat.
Mr Stewart is diabetic and is not believed to have any access to medication. Skipping diabetes medication can lead to hyperglycemia, a condition caused by high levels of blood sugar. Symptoms include blurred vision, headache and fatigue, and relatives of Mr Stewart noted he might appear confused due to his lack of medication.
The 1.95m Bedfordshire, UK native was described as "a gentle giant" by relatives, who urged anyone who spotted him to engage with him.
"Please talk to him and tell him his family are worried, miss him and want him to come home," they said.
Perhaps fearful that Mr Stewart has sought to remain undetected out of fear of being sent back to Mount Carmel, relatives added: "He will not go back into Mount Carmel, under no circumstances will the family allow this to happen."
If you've seen Tom Stewart, contact police on 119 or the ambulance service on 112.