Sex offender who spent five years on the run after being charged with indecently assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

Sex Offender Found Guilty After Five Years on the Run

Shahid Hussain, 48, has been found guilty of indecently assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 2003. He had been on the run since 2018 after being charged with the offense.

Hussain, formerly of Rotherham, fled the country in 2018 but was arrested in Bulgaria in 2023. He was extradited back to the UK to stand trial at Sheffield Crown Court, where jurors found him guilty of indecent assault.

The court heard that Hussain had forced his victim to perform a sex act. He has been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on 16 August.

Hussain's case was investigated as part of Operation Stovewood, the National Crime Agency's (NCA) inquiry into non-familial child sexual abuse and exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.

NCA Senior Investigating Officer, Stuart Cobb, said: "Hussain carried out a vile attack on a vulnerable young girl and when he knew he was going to be held to account, he took the coward's route by going on the run. We have always been determined to put Hussain before the courts. Finally, 21 years after carrying out his crime, he has faced justice."

Martin McRobb, Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Hussain had targeted a child and subjected her to a horrendous sexual assault before trying to evade the law by leaving the country. I hope this conviction sends a clear message: sex offenders who flee abroad will not escape justice. We will continue to work collaboratively with international partners to ensure perpetrators are returned to face the full force of the law."