POLICE are warning that people who are mocking the hairstyle of a convicted drug dealer who has been recalled to prison, could be leaving themselves open to prosecution.

The warning follows a deluge of comments on Gwent Police's Facebook post about Jermaine Taylor, aged 21, from Newport, who is being sought after breaching his licence conditions following his release last December.

He received a three-year sentence at Cardiff Crown Court in September 2017, for involvement in supplying controlled drugs (cocaine).

Comments and memes about his hair have appeared among more than 87,000 comments on the post, and Gwent Police have in turn posted a warning:

"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."

In a separate comment on their own post, Gwent Police also thanked "everyone who has liked, commented and shared our post over the last few days".

"We’re really grateful to everyone who is assisting us in locating Jermaine Taylor, and we must admit a few of these comments have made us laugh.

"However, when the line is crossed from being funny to abusive, we do have to make sure we are responsible and remind people to be careful about what they write on social media.

Thankfully, in the 87,000 comments, this is a very small number and the majority are doing a great job helping us day to day!"

Taylor remains at large and anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to telephone Gwent Police on 101, quoting log number 1900283943.

Alternatively, telephone Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.