British man sentenced for rape in UK flees to Thailand

[webfact]

 

A man who fled to Thailand to try and escape justice has been sentenced to eight years in jail.

 

Michael Foster’s trial went ahead in his absence in September and a jury found him guilty with a unanimous verdict.

 

He was yesterday (Monday, November 7th) sentenced, again in his absence, at Preston Crown Court.  

 

He was given eight years in prison and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.

 

Foster, 35, formerly of Fishwick Parade, Preston, raped his victim in a Preston flat in July 2020.

 

He was arrested and charged and was due to appear at Preston Crown Court in December last year, but he failed to turn up. Police enquiries suggest he has fled the country to Thailand and has not returned since.

 

International efforts are underway to find Foster and to get him back to the UK.

 

The victim, a woman in her 20s, described in an impact statement to the court how the attack had almost destroyed her life.

 

She said the rape had set in motion a chain of events that would alter the course of her life taking her to the very depths of despair. She lost her friends, job, and self-esteem and gained nothing but the wish to end her life. She said it was little short of a miracle, that she was still alive.

 

Det Con Sue Wilson, of Lancashire Police, said: “Michael Foster’s attack on this vulnerable woman has had an absolutely devastating effect on her life and it is a violation from which she has said she will never fully recover. To compound his crime Foster has failed to take any responsibility for his actions and has fled the country to try and evade justice.

 

“The substantial custodial sentence imposed by the court today reflects the gravity of the offending and we will now do all we can to find Foster and ensure he is returned to the UK to serve his sentence.”

 

Source: https://lancashire.police.uk/news/2022/november/man-sentenced-for-rape/

 

--2022-11-09

[BritManToo]

How do they know he's in Thailand?

[lujanit]

How can a man charged with rape not have his Passport taken off him and not placed on a no fly list?  This is a almighty screw up by the UK justice system.

[Mickeymaus]

I will look for him in Pattaya. Among all the quality tourists here, he will surely stand out.

[HauptmannUK]

9 minutes ago, lujanit said:

How can a man charged with rape not have his Passport taken off him and not placed on a no fly list?  This is a almighty screw up by the UK justice system.

SOP

[lujanit]

Are you telling me that the UK has a SOP for people charged with a serious offence like rape are allowed to evade justice by leaving the country before their trial?  If so sounds like the UK needs to do some serious navel gazing.

 

The fact he was convicted in absentia is of little consequence.

[scubascuba3]

Probably on soi Buakhao

[mackayae]

" a jury found him guilty with a unanimous verdict. "

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

How do they know he's in Thailand?

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Police enquiries suggest he has fled the country to Thailand and has not returned since.

That's how init.

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, lujanit said:

How can a man charged with rape not have his Passport taken off him and not placed on a no fly list?  This is a almighty screw up by the UK justice system.

Innocent until proved guilty, being charged does not make you guilty.

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, HauptmannUK said:

SOP

What's a SOP please?

I just hate these TLAs

[Sparktrader]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

How do they know he's in Thailand?

By his passport stamps

[MyFriend You]

6 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

What's a SOP please?

I just hate these TLAs

Standard Operating Procedure??

[Sparktrader]

3 minutes ago, TunnelRat69 said:

Standard Operating Procedure??

Omb

[JeffersLos]

35 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

What's a SOP please?

It's a new type of gender. 

[soi3eddie]

Bad move on his part, both in comitting the crime and fleeing while on bail. Surprised that bail conditions did not include removal of passport. When caught in Thailand (or neigbouring countries) the conditions while waiting deportation will be far less comfortable than jail in the UK. Let's see how quickly he is located verses a certain energy drink heir who fled after a car crash!

 

[Seppius]

Why have they always got goatees?

[mahtin]

3 minutes ago, Seppius said:

Why have they always got goatees?

Moustache twirling went out of style.

[proton]

why flee to a country with an extradition treaty? Thai immigration will have photo, prints and passport details if he's here. Lived at the Parkland Bang Na for a few years, Brit was arrested there 7 years after fleeing rape case involving his daughter. His mrs chucked herself off Beachy Head. Found him from using the same ATM every month at central. He was sent back to do his sentence.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

How do they know he's in Thailand?

Maybe they don't know for sure that he's still here but they would know where he went from the UK at the time very easily.

[Sparktrader]

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

How do they know he's in Thailand?

You fly to Thailand without a passport?

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, lujanit said:

How can a man charged with rape not have his Passport taken off him and not placed on a no fly list?

I think you'll find that is not standard procedure, anywhere, unless there's evidence that he's a flight risk.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, lujanit said:

Are you telling me that the UK has a SOP for people charged with a serious offence like rape are allowed to evade justice by leaving the country before their trial? 

Yes, it's called bail.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, lujanit said:

The fact he was convicted in absentia is of little consequence.

Nonsense, he's now a convicted rapist on the run.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, mackayae said:

" a jury found him guilty with a unanimous verdict. "

Yes, that was in the OP that we all read.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

3 hours ago, lujanit said:

How can a man charged with rape not have his Passport taken off him and not placed on a no fly list?  This is a almighty screw up by the UK justice system.

Innocent until proved guilty, being charged does not make you guilty.

...and on bail.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

3 hours ago, HauptmannUK said:

SOP

What's a SOP please?

I just hate these TLAs

NFI.

[Sparktrader]

9 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I think you'll find that is not standard procedure, anywhere, unless there's evidence that he's a flight risk.

Depends on crime. Murder they often take passport.

[whereyougo]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

Innocent until proved guilty, being charged does not make you guilty.

read the article !

[Liverpool Lou]

28 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

Let's see how quickly he is located verses a certain energy drink heir who fled after a car crash!

Let's see how quickly the extradition application works, just locating him means not a lot.  Vorayuth has not been found guilty in court of anything yet and the country that he's in probably doesn't have an extradition treaty with Thailand.