A man who absconded from crown court during his trial for rape and sexual assault has finally been brought to justice after more than eight years.
Sussex Police detectives say they were determined not to give up the hunt for Sarbaz Najmadeen Ali who went on the run.
Ali, 36, formerly of Stockleigh Road, St Leonards, was found guilty of committing a rape, an attempted rape, assault by penetration and two counts of sexual assault against his victim, a 33-year-old man known to him, in Hastings, in 2013.
Ali had been granted bail by Hove Crown Court that allowed him to leave the dock during the lunch break in his trial in September 2014, as long as he did not leave the building. However part way through the judge's summing up during the hearing, Ali fled from the court and disappeared. He was convicted by a jury in his absence.
A warrant was issued by the judge for the arrest of Ali, who had previously worked as a barber in the town and an appeal to trace him were issued by Sussex Police.
He was later featured on BBC’s Crimewatch ‘Most Wanted’ appeal following his conviction. An officer from the German Polizei in Regensburg, on conducting research into Ali while he was in custody in Germany for suspected offences there, recognised him from the ‘Crimewatch’ photographs. He then contacted Sussex Police to say that Ali was in their custody, but Ali was then extradited to France for offences he had committed there before a European Arrest Warrant could be executed.
Ali was then convicted of a sexual assault committed in France and given a one-year prison sentence. Sussex Police had to wait until he had served this sentence there before the European Arrest warrant could be executed.
He was then arrested in France and extradited back to the UK. He then appeared at Lewes Crown Court on 5 April 2023 where he has been finally sentenced to a total of seven years imprisonment for the offences, plus a further three years on an extended licence. He was also sentenced to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life, which will restrict his access to children under the age of 16. This is to reflect his dangerousness to young people following his conviction in France.
Investigator Julian Stokes said:
“Admiration has to be given to the courageous victim, who gave evidence at the trial in 2014 and who has had to wait for more than eight years for justice to be served following Ali’s sentencing.
“This demonstrates that Sussex Police will go to extraordinary lengths to bring dangerous offenders such as Ali, back to the UK to face justice.”
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