Survivors Condemn Justice System After Serial Rapist Flees UK Before Sentencing

Three women who were sexually abused by a serial rapist have spoken of their sense of betrayal after learning their attacker fled the country while on bail, avoiding both his trial and his sentencing hearing in person. Amar Ilyas, 41, was convicted of 20 sexual offences against five girls in Sheffield and was handed a minimum prison term of 27 years in his absence. The case has reignited concerns about how the criminal justice system handles defendants accused of serious sexual crimes, particularly when they hold dual nationality or have the means to travel abroad.

One of the victims told the BBC she had always assumed that a person's passport would be automatically surrendered once they were formally charged with such serious offences. Instead, she discovered that Ilyas had been permitted to retain his travel documents, a decision she described as leaving her "so disappointed in the law." Her reaction reflects a broader frustration among survivors who feel that the rights of defendants are being prioritised over the safety and peace of mind of those they have harmed.

Another woman, who was sexually abused by Ilyas when she was just 13 years old, said she felt "cheated" by the outcome. She explained that her own life had been severely restricted by the trauma of the abuse, to the point where she struggled to leave her home, while her abuser had been free to board a plane and leave the country. "There is no justice is there really?" she asked. "He didn't take accountability. He's not getting any consequences for his actions."

The woman said she had been told that Ilyas was allowed to keep his passport because of his human rights, a justification she found deeply insulting. She pointed out that he had shown no empathy or humanity towards his victims, yet his own rights and feelings had been taken into consideration by the courts. For her, the contrast between the treatment of the offender and the lasting harm suffered by the survivors amounted to a profound injustice.

A third woman, who was raped by Ilyas as a teenager, said she held little hope that he would ever be returned to the UK to serve his sentence. She noted that he was believed to be in Pakistan and acknowledged that authorities were doing what they could, but she had been told that extradition arrangements with Pakistan are notoriously difficult. "Shame on him but shame on the law too, they allowed that to happen," she said, echoing the anger expressed by the other survivors.

All three women have the right to lifelong anonymity, but they chose to waive that protection in order to speak to the BBC and campaign for changes to the bail system. They want to see stricter rules that would prevent sex offenders from absconding during court proceedings, including the automatic removal of passports in serious cases. One of the women said that going forward, authorities "need to put into place that they remove the passports," arguing that survivors may be deterred from coming forward if they see perpetrators evading punishment.

The case has also drawn attention to the broader implications for public confidence in the justice system. According to the source article, Sheffield Crown Court heard that Ilyas carried out the offences against girls as young as 12 in the Meersbrook and Sharrow areas of Sheffield between 2004 and 2007. He was arrested in 2020 and charged in 2023 as part of the National Crime Agency's Operation Stovewood, a major investigation into historical sexual abuse in South Yorkshire. The lengthy gap between the offences and the charges illustrates the challenges of investigating and prosecuting non-recent cases.

The BBC understands that Ilyas was allowed to keep his passport after appearing in court and had previously travelled abroad while on court bail, though he had returned to the UK on those occasions. In July 2025, he travelled to Pakistan and failed to return for his trial in September of that year, despite being ordered by the judge to fly back. He was subsequently sentenced in his absence to a minimum of 27 years in prison, but the sentence cannot be enforced while he remains outside the jurisdiction.

The government responded to the case by stating that "decisions on bail restrictions are a matter for the independent judiciary." The National Crime Agency, meanwhile, said it was "making every effort to ensure Ilyas is brought before the court." Phillip Marshall, head of Operation Stovewood for the NCA, condemned Ilyas for having "tormented and brutally sexually abused vulnerable young girls and women 20 years ago" and for "callously compounding their decades of suffering by not returning to the UK for his trial or sentencing." He added that the investigation had ensured the women's voices were heard and their crimes proven in court, and that the agency was determined to see Ilyas serve his sentence.

The case also involves Ilyas's younger brothers, who are both currently in prison for sexual offences against one victim. Kamar Ilyas, 40, was jailed for 10 years, while Kamran Ilyas, 39, was sentenced to three years. Judge Peter Hampton, who sentenced all three brothers in June, described Amar Ilyas as having "taken the coward's route and fled." In his sentencing remarks, the judge urged law enforcement to locate him and use "all means" to execute the outstanding arrest warrant. It is understood that when Ilyas's defence team applied for bail, which the prosecution had the opportunity to contest, no request was made for his passport to be forfeited.

Lucy Duckworth from the Survivors Trust described the case as "absolutely appalling" and said it demonstrated the need for specialist courts and better training in sexual violence response for staff across the criminal justice system. She argued that it makes no sense to treat a defendant as such a high risk to society that they face decades in prison, while simultaneously granting them bail and the freedom to potentially reoffend or evade justice. Her comments highlight a growing call for systemic reform to ensure that the seriousness of sexual offences is reflected at every stage of the legal process, from charging decisions through to bail conditions and sentencing.