One of the most distressing aspects of child sexual abuse cases is when offenders avoid facing justice altogether.

A recent case highlighted by the BBC shows how an alleged and convicted abuser was able to leave the UK before standing trial or serving his sentences. Amar Ilyas was convicted of 20 sexual offences against five girls in Sheffield and sentenced to a minimum of 27 years' imprisonment in his absence. However, he had travelled to Pakistan while on bail and failed to return for his trial. Survivors described feeling "betrayed" and questioned why he had been allowed to keep his passport after being charged.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated problem.

A grooming case in Keighley, saw brothers Fayaz Ahmed and Imtiaz Ahmed abscond abroad before their trial in 2024. Both were convicted and sentenced in their absence for rape offences committed against a vulnerable teenage girl.

There are further examples. Rukhsar Ahmed, a former Pakistani politician, was arrested in the UK over allegations of rape and trafficking linked to historic child sexual abuse in Manchester. Despite police seeking restrictions on his ability to travel, he was able to leave the UK while on bail and was subsequently elected as an MP in Pakistan.

Similarly, Umar Zaman, a convicted member of the Huddersfield grooming gang, fled to Pakistan despite bail conditions that included surrendering his passport and not leaving the country. Fortunately, he was eventually arrested when he attempted to return to the UK and was later jailed.

For survivors, these cases raise an important question: how can victims have confidence in the justice system when offenders are able to leave the country before facing the consequences of their actions?

The forthcoming Grooming Gangs Inquiry will rightly focus on how children were failed and whether agencies missed opportunities to protect them. However, it should also examine what happens after offenders are identified and charged.

The inquiry presents an opportunity to consider whether stronger safeguards are needed for those facing serious child sexual abuse allegations, including the use of bail conditions, passport restrictions and international enforcement measures. If gaps in the system have allowed offenders to evade justice, those lessons must be learned.

Survivors have already waited years, and in some cases decades, for their voices to be heard. They should not then be faced with the additional trauma of seeing offenders flee before sentencing or trial. Ensuring that abusers cannot abscond must form part of the wider conversation about accountability, public protection and restoring confidence in the justice system.

How Switalskis Solicitors can help

At Switalskis, our specialist abuse lawyers regularly represent survivors who were failed by the systems meant to protect them. We see how abuse is often enabled by missed opportunities, poor communication between agencies, and a lack of understanding of the signs of exploitation. These failures can leave survivors feeling isolated and unheard.

We are committed to supporting survivors with compassion, specialist legal expertise, and a deep understanding of the long-term impact abuse can have. Justice is possible, and survivors deserve to be believed and supported every step of the way.

If you have been impacted and would like to discuss your experience in confidence, our specialist abuse team  can help. Call 0808 239 5763   or email help@switalskis.com.