A child rapist is still on the run – seven years on from his trial and three years after he was given an 18 year jail sentence in his absence.

Abdelouaheb Delhoum’s case came back before Swindon Crown Court on Monday, as Judge Peter Crabtree reviewed the court’s outstanding arrest warrants.

Prosecutor Sadie Rizzo said enquiries had been made by Wiltshire Police and Delhoum was still believed to be out of the country.

“It’s an extremely serious offence, rape of a child, and the warrant should remain,” said Ms Rizzo, who asked that the case is reviewed again by the court in January 2022.

The 52-year-old from Headington was found guilty of repeatedly abusing a boy in Swindon between 2009 and 2012.

He pleaded not guilty to rape of a child under 13, two counts of sexual assault of a male under 13 and three of causing or inciting a child under 13 to take part in sexual activity.

After a week-long trial in 2014, he was convicted of all six offences by a jury. He turned up to be sentenced in June that year but left the court building before his case was called on. It was believed he then fled to his native Algeria.

In 2018, Judge Tim Mousley QC, who presided over the trial, sentenced Delhoum in his absence to 18 years’ imprisonment.

Addressing an empty dock, the judge said: “It is quite plain that the victim was someone who was particularly vulnerable at the time he was abused by the defendant. There was a degree of grooming.

“The defendant has no previous convictions. Bearing in mind the nature of these offences and the period of time in which he was abusing the victim, that only provides him with a limited amount of discount by way of mitigation.”

After imposing the sentence he added: “If he comes back to the country he ought to be reminded that he has to sign the sex offenders’ register.”

Prosecutor at the 2018 sentencing Hannah Squire said Delhoum’s abuse started when the victim was 10 years old. The victim, who is now an adult, had struggled to tell anyone in authority about what was happening as a result of the sickening abuse.

Delhoum’s solicitors had not had any contact with them since he absconded they would not attend court to represent him, the court was told.

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