Man who fled police investigation guilty of rape

A man who fled the UK while being investigated for sexually assaulting a teenage girl more than 20 years ago has been found guilty of rape.

Muhammed Khalid, 55, was convicted after a trial of five counts of rape, two counts of supplying Class A drugs and one count of sexual assault.

West Yorkshire Police said the offences were carried out in the Kirklees area in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Khalid, from Huddersfield, fled the country in 2020 but was arrested earlier this year at Manchester Airport shortly after he arrived back. He is due to be sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on 24 November.

Khalid was also found not guilty of a further eight charges, including indecent assault, rape and trafficking persons within the UK for sexual exploitation.

Det Ch Insp Phil Davis said: "We welcome the jury's verdict in finding Khalid guilty of very serious offences committed against young and very vulnerable victims more than 20 years ago.

"He committed multiple rapes over a prolonged period against a vulnerable teenage girl, abusing her in a fashion which can only be described as appalling.

"He has also been convicted of supplying Class A drugs to another victim."

He added: "Officers never stopped inquiries to locate Khalid after he fled the country, and arrangements were swiftly put in place with partners to detain him when he arrived back in the UK.

"I hope this case, and the many other convictions we are continuing to see at our courts for non-recent sexual offending, further demonstrate that we will never stop trying to seek justice for victims."

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