Survivors 'betrayed' after rapist fled to Pakistan while on bail

Three women who were sexually abused by a serial rapist have said they feel "betrayed" and "frustrated" after their attacker fled to Pakistan while on bail.

Amar Ilyas, 41, was convicted of 20 sexual offences against five girls in Sheffield and was sentenced, in his absence, to a minimum of 27 years in prison.

One of his victims told the BBC she had assumed his passport would automatically be surrendered after he was charged and said she was "so disappointed in the law".

The government said "decisions on bail restrictions are a matter for the independent judiciary", while the National Crime Agency (NCA) said it was "making every effort to ensure Ilyas is brought before the court".

A woman who was sexually abused by Amar Ilyas when she was 13 said she had been "cheated" because she felt unable to go out and leave her home, yet her abuser had been able to leave the country.

"There is no justice is there really? He didn't take accountability. He's not getting any consequences for his actions," she said.

"We were told that he got to keep his passport because of his human rights, but he wasn't humane towards other people.

"He didn't show any empathy, so it was a really big insult when his human rights and feelings were taken into consideration."

Amar Ilyas was arrested in 2020 and charged in 2023, as part of the NCA's Operation Stovewood, investigating sexual abuse in South Yorkshire.

Sheffield Crown Court heard he had carried out the offences against girls as young as 12 in the Meersbrook and Sharrow areas of Sheffield between 2004 and 2007.

The BBC understands he was allowed to keep his passport after appearing in court, and had previously travelled abroad while on court bail, but had returned to the UK.

He went to Pakistan in July 2025 and did not return for his trial in September of that year, despite being ordered to fly back to the UK by the judge.

His younger brothers are both currently in prison for sexual offences against one victim. Kamar Ilyas, 40, was jailed for 10 years and Kamran Ilyas, 39, was sentenced to three years.

Another woman said she had learning difficulties and was in a very vulnerable, dark place when she was abused by Amar Ilyas as a teenager.

"Why, when he's committed these offences against us girls, was he allowed to keep his passport? That's my question. Where is the justice?" she asked.

"I hope they find him and I hang on to that hope every day, maybe it will be tomorrow, it might be next year but we have to hang on to hope."

A third woman, who was raped by Amar Ilyas as a teenager, said she did not have much hope that he would return to the UK to serve his sentence.

"I just know he's in Pakistan and they're doing what they can, but I've been told it's very difficult with Pakistan with extradition," she said.

"Shame on him but shame on the law too, they allowed that to happen."

The women, who have the right to lifelong anonymity, said they had taken the decision to speak to the BBC to call for changes to prevent sex offenders absconding during court proceedings.

"Going forwards, I think they need to put into place that they remove the passports," one said.

"We live in a world, unfortunately, where these things are carrying on happening.

"There are survivors coming forward but survivors might not want to come forward after hearing something like this."

Judge Peter Hampton, who did not oversee the bail condition applications at earlier hearings, but sentenced all three brothers in June, described Amar Ilyas as having "taken the coward's route and fled".

In his sentencing remarks, he urged law enforcement to locate him and use "all means" to execute the arrest warrant that remains outstanding.

It is understood that when Amar Ilyas's defence team applied for bail, which the prosecution had the opportunity to contest, no request for his passport to be forfeited was made.

Phillip Marshall, head of Operation Stovewood for the NCA, said officers were carrying out proactive enquiries.

He said: "Amar Ilyas tormented and brutally sexually abused vulnerable young girls and women 20 years ago, and he has callously compounded their decades of suffering by not returning to the UK for his trial or sentencing."

Marshall added: "Operation Stovewood's meticulous investigation ensured that despite the passage of time, complexity of the case and Ilyas's absence, his crimes against the women were heard, believed and proven in court.

"We are just as determined to ensure that Ilyas serves his prison sentence."

Lucy Duckworth from the Survivors Trust described the case as "absolutely appalling" and said it demonstrated the need for specialist courts and training in sexual violence response for staff in the criminal justice service.

"It doesn't make sense the way we are treating this crime if we're saying, 'you're such a risk to society' and yet we're giving bail and we're allowing them the freedom to potentially commit that crime again or to evade justice by leaving the country," she said.

"I think it is widely accepted that the criminal justice system is currently failing victims and survivors and that needs to change.

"I hope that cases like this can highlight the massive gaps and make sure that we all work together and work with the government to get the changes in place needed."

In response to the story, a government spokesperson said: "These were horrible crimes, and our thoughts remain with the victims.

"More broadly we're determined to protect vulnerable girls and bring those responsible to justice. That is why we're cracking down on vile abusers as part of our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade."

Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North