An MP has written to the Justice Secretary to ask why a rapist was allowed to keep his passport and flee Britain midway through his trial.

Taxi driver Sultan Amari, 46, emailed Warrington Crown Court at the weekend to say he would not be returning, before boarding a plane to Istanbul on Sunday night.

The last time he attended court was on Friday, September 23 when he was halfway through giving evidence.

He was sentenced in his absence on Tuesday to 11 years in jail for two counts if rape against a student at a house he owned on Sealand Road , Chester , on July 11 last year.

Earlier this week, City of Chester MP Chris Matheson said questions needed to be asked about why Amari, 46, of Chester Road, Flint, was allowed to get away.

Now former justice minister David Hanson, MP for Delyn in Flintshire, has written to Justice Minister Elizabeth Truss demanding answers.

“First of all we have to think about the victim,” Mr Hanson told our sister paper the Daily Post.

MP David Hanson

“She’s a woman who has been to the police, through the trauma of the trial and not seen justice done.

“I have asked the Justice secretary three things: Why wasn’t his passport removed? What assessment was made on him absconding when he was given bail and what action was taken when he emailed to say he wasn’t coming back on Monday?

“It could have been stopped by a couple of simple actions.

“In a serious case like this why wasn’t his passport removed?

“What steps have been taken to inform airports and ports?

“I want to see whether this is a pattern over the last five years and I have put that in writing to the Justice Secretary.”

Earlier this week, Mr Matheson told The Chronicle: “We need to ask why his passport was not taken off him, and how we are going to get him back to serve his sentence for this dreadful crime.

“We also need to ask whether the court will be reviewing bail policy in light of this case.”

Syrian-born Amari had denied two counts of raping the student.

During the trial he had insisted sex with his victim had been consensual after he had picked her up and taken her to the house.

Amari was given 11 years for each count of rape to be served concurrently.

Sentencing him in his absence Judge Landale said: “This was a gross breach of trust with a very vulnerable woman.

“CCTV showed that she was totally incapable of walking in a straight line and she was obviously drunk.

“The public are entitled to be protected by people like Mr Amari but instead he exploited and took advantage of her.”

It is understood he could be headed for Syria where he has family.

A warrant has been issued for Amari’s arrest and police enquiries to trace his whereabouts are ongoing.

Judge Tina Landale ordered an investigation into how Amari was allowed to slip the net.

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