Sarbaz Najmadeen Ali: Rapist who fled court during trial brought to book after 8 years on the run
LEWES, ENGLAND: A rapist who managed to flee court during a lunch break at the end of his trial has reportedly been caught after eight years on the run across Europe. 36-year-old Sarbaz Najmadeen Ali, who used to be a barber, escaped from Hove Crown Court during his trial for rape and sexual assault in 2014.
Eight years later, Ali was recognized by German police in a Crimewatch appeal and extradited to France, where he was jailed for one year for sexual assault in a different incident. The perp was then sent to the UK, where he has now been jailed for seven years at Lewes Crown Court.
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Lunch break escape
Ali was convicted in 2014 at Hove Crown Court in his absence of rape, attempted rape, assault by penetration, and two counts of sexual assault committed one year earlier against a 33-year-old man in Hastings who was reportedly known to him. The suspect had been granted bail at that trial, allowing him to leave the dock during lunch break as long as he did not leave the court. But as the judge wrapped up the case, Ali was nowhere to be found. Regardless, a jury convicted him in his absence and a warrant was issued for his arrest by Sussex Police. The authorities also issued a public appeal to trace his whereabouts and his case was even featured on the BBC's Crimewatch 'Most Wanted' appeal.
Have you seen convicted rapist Sarbaz Najmadeen Ali ????http://t.co/ukp2OWRKhg pic.twitter.com/5LCsQ6OETi
— eddie mitchell (@brightonsnapper) September 8, 2014
The rapist, who formerly lived in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, was eventually apprehended in Regensburg in Germany. During an investigation for his offenses there, a German police officer recognized him from the Crimewatch photographs and contacted Sussex Police to inform them he was in their custody. However, Ali was first extradited to France for his offenses there before a European Arrest Warrant could be executed. After serving prison in France, Ali was arrested once again and extradited back to the UK, where he appeared at Lewes Crown Court last week.
Sarbaz Najmadeen Ali, who absconded from court during his trial for rape in 2014, has been jailed. https://t.co/Jih2VBsGi2
— BBC South East (@bbcsoutheast) April 6, 2023
Brought to justice
Ali was sentenced to seven years in prison, plus a further three years on an extended license, which means he will be subject to constant monitoring during that period in order to protect the public. The perp was also sentenced to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life, thereby restricting his access to children under the age of 16. The order reflected his risk to young people following his conviction in France, Sussex police said in a release. "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," Sussex Police investigator Julian Stokes said in a statement. "This demonstrates that Sussex Police will go to extraordinary lengths to bring dangerous offenders such as Ali back to the UK to face justice," he added.
