Fugitive Jailed for Attempted Rape

A convicted rapist who fled the country after trying to rape a sleeping woman has been sentenced to nine years in prison.

Alan Adam, 38, was found guilty in his absence by a jury at Carlisle Crown Court. He failed to appear for his trial last week and remains on the run.

The court heard that Adam had plied his victim with drinks, knowing she was not used to drinking heavily. She later awoke to find him sexually assaulting her.

Judge David Potter described Adam's actions as a "concerted effort" to rape the woman, despite her protests and resistance. He said Adam had "taken full advantage of the obvious incapacity her condition presented."

A medical examination confirmed the victim's account, revealing intimate injuries consistent with Adam's forceful attempt at rape. The victim gave a powerful victim impact statement, describing the lasting trauma she experiences due to Adam's actions.

"When I think of what happened, I find myself having flashbacks to the moment in time when I was taken advantage of," she wrote. "I continue to have nightmares, crying. I am a broken person because of that man; I can't even say his name and never will. He has broken me and I don't think I will ever trust a man again. This will cause me issues for the rest of my life."

Judge Potter acknowledged the victim's vulnerability and highlighted Adam's manipulative behavior in encouraging her to drink to the point of incapacitation. He sentenced Adam to nine years in prison, with a minimum term of six years before he is eligible for release.

Adam remains a fugitive, last seen boarding a ferry to France in July 2022. He will be placed on the Sex Offender Register for life.