Amar Ilyas, 41, who was convicted of 20 sexual offences including 13 rapes against five girls in Sheffield, leaves the UK while on bail for the charges and does not return for his trial. BBC reports he is not present for the trial, while other outlets say he flees to Pakistan. He is later sentenced in his absence, receiving a minimum of 27 years in jail.
According to reporting cited by multiple outlets, police say they are making efforts to locate him. The accounts also describe that his passport is not immediately taken, allowing him to travel, with one outlet attributing the decision to “human rights” reasons. The coverage focuses on survivors’ claims of being “betrayed,” while the other consistent elements are the conviction, the sentencing outcome, and ongoing efforts by detectives to track him down.
