Fugitive anonymous sex offender facing deportation located

A convicted sex offender who went on the run to avoid deportation has been found and is to be removed from the country.

The man cannot be named because of fears that vigilantes in his home country would target him if they knew he had been returned.

He has fought against deportation for 14 years, following his conviction on offences of indecent assault and gross indecency.

In November, he lost his latest appeal in the Court of Session in Edinburgh and was booked on a flight, but he “went to ground”.

He has now been traced and detained, and arrangements made to finally deport him.

Before his disappearance, the BBC tried to challenge an order banning the media from identifying the man, but a judge dismissed the bid.

The BBC still has time to appeal the ruling and, in the meantime, lawyers for the man wanted him to be allowed to stay in the country.

They said his life would be in danger if he were sent home and then the court allowed his identity to be revealed.

Three judges, Lords Eassie, Menzies and Marnoch, decided that the deportation should proceed, and did not need to wait until any appeal by the BBC had been heard.