An Iranian alleged rapist is believed to have fled the UK after being bailed from magistrates’ court because they were unable to find an interpreter.
Halwest Muradi, 24, is accused of raping a woman in her 20s last November in Colchester, Essex.
He was granted bail on July 31 with a curfew order imposed by magistrates in the town but Ipswich Crown Court heard he had vanished.
He was arrested in the back of an Amazon van in Kent trying to evade justice.
He was taken to Medway Magistrates’ Court in Chatham on August 2 for breaching bail but when the court heard an interpreter could not be found he was bailed.
Prosecutor Jane Oldfield said: ‘They took the view that as they couldn’t find an interpreter they couldn’t deal with the breach of bail.’
He was due to appear at Ipswich Magistrates’ Court today where he was due to enter a plea.
Judge David Pugh said Muradi had been accused of a stranger rape and he found it ‘utterly extraordinary’ that he had been released.
Miss Oldfield said there had been significant attempts by the police to find Mulradi including the issuing of press releases and international inquiries.
Judge Pugh issued a warrant for Mulradi’s arrest not backed by bail.
Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Truss said: ‘It’s of the utmost importance that we find Halwest Muradi and speak to him about this alleged breach. Anyone who has seen him is asked to call us immediately.
‘We believe he may have links to Kent and Swansea, but he could still be in the county and we would urge anyone with information about his whereabouts to reach out to us.’
Muradi is 5ft 7ins tall and of medium build. He has short, dark straight hair and is of Iranian descent.
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