Warrant figures reveal ‘rapist’ among criminals still at large

Suspected criminals accused of serious crimes including rape and human trafficking are on the run after failing to turn up at court, new figures reveal.

Some people charged with violent crimes have been at large for more than a decade – with one person untraced since 2003.

The statistics show the 15 longest-outstanding warrants for people in Tayside who have been accused of an offence, or found guilty of a crime, but who failed to turn up for court.

One of those at large is a person accused of rape in Dundee who was released on bail in 2011, but failed to appear for a court hearing.

In Angus, one person has been on the run for 13 years, with people most commonly going missing after not paying fines – though others charged with fraud and assault have also gone off the radar.

Meanwhile, in Perth and Kinross, one person charged with having pepper spray in 2012 remains untraced, along with someone charged in the same year with people trafficking.

Superintendent Graeme Murdoch of Tayside Division said: “Warrants are categorised and some are a higher priority meaning that we will make immediate and persistent efforts to execute the warrant.

“This is usually based on the seriousness of the crime or offence, the risk to communities and can also depend on which court has issued the warrant.

“In a small number of cases, warrants can remain outstanding for long periods of time.”

He said in some cases the offender may have returned to their home country, travelled abroad or moved to a different area.