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

Amar Ilyas sentenced to 27 years in absence for 20 sexual offences against five girls in Sheffield

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources2 outlets
Three women who were sexually abused by serial rapist Amar Ilyas say they feel 'betrayed' and 'frustrated' after he fled to Pakistan while on bail. Ilyas, 41, was convicted of 20 sexual offences against five girls and sentenced in his absence to a minimum of 27 years.

Amar Ilyas was arrested in 2020 and charged in 2023 as part of the National Crime Agency's Operation Stovewood, which investigated sexual abuse in South Yorkshire. Sheffield Crown Court heard that the offences were carried out against girls as young as 12 in the Meersbrook and Sharrow areas of Sheffield between 2004 and 2007.

One victim, who was abused from the age of 13, told the BBC she had assumed his passport would automatically be surrendered after he was charged, saying she was 'so disappointed in the law.' Another described feeling 'cheated' that she could not leave her home while her abuser could 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.

The women expressed anger that Ilyas was allowed to keep his passport on human rights grounds. 'He didn't show any empathy so it was a really big insult when his human rights and feelings were taken into consideration,' one victim said.

The government responded that 'decisions on bail restrictions are a matter for the independent judiciary.' The National Crime Agency said it is 'making every effort to ensure Ilyas is brought before the court.'

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • This case exposes gaps in the bail system for serious sexual offences, where a convicted offender could flee the country while on pre-trial release.
  • Victims feel retraumatised by a justice system they believe prioritised the defendant's rights over their safety.
  • The flight to Pakistan raises complex international extradition questions, potentially delaying or preventing justice.

Background

Amar Ilyas was investigated under Operation Stovewood, a National Crime Agency probe into historical sexual abuse in South Yorkshire. He was arrested in 2020 and charged three years later. Despite facing multiple serious charges, he was released on bail and permitted to retain his passport, which enabled him to travel to Pakistan before his trial. UK law gives judges discretion on bail conditions, including passport surrender. The case highlights tensions between defendants' rights and victim safety.

Key Perspectives

Victims and survivors: Express betrayal, frustration, and a sense that the law failed them. They assumed a passport would be taken on charging and feel the system valued the abuser's human rights over their own. Government: States bail restrictions are judicial decisions, not ministerial, and declines direct responsibility for the outcome. National Crime Agency: Acknowledges the failure and is working to secure Ilyas's return to face justice.

What to Watch

  • Whether the UK seeks extradition from Pakistan and how Islamabad responds.
  • Potential pressure for legislative changes to automatic passport surrender on serious charges.
  • Any review by the judiciary of bail practices in sexual offence cases.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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