Victor Willis, the man who played the policeman in the original line-up of The Village People, is on the run after failing to appear in court for sentencing on counts of drug and firearms possession.

In July, Willis was arrested following the discovery of a gun and crack cocaine in his car. Also wanted for possession of narcotics on a separate occasion, he was due to be sentenced on Thursday October 20th but was absent on the day. According to his lawyer, Kenneth Quigley, Willis could not attend the hearing as he was 'scheduled for surgery'. However, the singer has not been seen or heard from since.

Willis, who left the Village People in the late '70s, had already pleaded no contest to the charges and had reportedly struck up a plea bargain that would allow him to simply be put into rehabilitation. Otherwise, he was looking at 16 years imprisonment. He has also pleaded guilty to violating his probation.