Rapist on the run ordered to return to UK

A rapist on the run in Bosnia and Herzegovina after he was mistakenly released from a London prison has been ordered by a judge to return to the UK for sentencing.

Bernadin Dedic was convicted in his absence of raping a woman at knifepoint in his Ealing home and is due to be sentenced on 24 July, Isleworth Crown Court heard on Tuesday.

The 48-year-old was mistakenly freed from HMP Wormwood Scrubs on 6 February and travelled via Eurostar to his native Bosnia. He did not return for his trial in June.

Since conviction, Dedic has given a number of reasons for evading justice in the UK, such as visa issues, a skiing accident, health problems and a fear of flying.

On Tuesday, Judge Hannah Duncan ordered that messages were sent to Dedic and his brother about the date of the hearing.

"Sentencing is going to take place on 24 July and he is required to attend it and surrender to custody on that date," she said.

Prosecution barrister Dickon Reid told the court the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) would neither confirm nor deny whether extradition proceedings were being pursued.

Dedic's release happened after a pre-trial hearing at Isleworth Crown Court in February, when an official mixed up digital case files and triggered a message to the prison that he had been granted bail.

Although Dedic's UK passport was seized by police during the rape investigation, he used his Bosnian passport to travel on Eurostar.

Dedic, who pleaded not guilty, was initially due to stand trial in March.

After giving a series of reasons for not returning to the UK, a jury found him guilty on 9 June of four counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault by penetration, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, threatening a person with a knife in a private place, and making a threat to kill.

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