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A British Bangladeshi man who fled to France to avoid an eight-year prison sentence for rape has been extradited to the UK and jailed after an international manhunt.
Faisal Ahmed, 34, was convicted of rape, coercive and controlling behaviour, and child neglect. Investigators said he fled to France after his trial, adopted a false identity and attempted to start a new life to evade justice.
The case began in November 2023, when Cheshire Police responded to a report from a woman in Crewe, who alleged that Ahmed, of West Street, Buckingham, had repeatedly raped and physically abused her over several months. She also accused him of assaulting her young child during the abuse.
Following a nine-day trial, a jury at Chester Crown Court found Ahmed guilty of all charges in September 2025.
However, he absconded before sentencing, prompting the court to issue an arrest warrant. On January 19, 2026, he was sentenced in absentia to eight years in prison.
A joint investigation involving Cheshire Constabulary, the Crown Prosecution Service, Interpol, the National Crime Agency, and the Paris Judicial Police Directorate traced Ahmed to France.
He was arrested there on April 28, 2026, and later extradited to the UK.
Following the completion of extradition proceedings, Ahmed was taken directly to prison to begin serving his sentence.
Detective Constable Amy Pegnam of Cheshire Constabulary said the coordinated international effort ensured that a dangerous offender was brought back to the UK to face justice.
“Ahmed believed he could evade the law by fleeing abroad, but he was proven wrong,” she said.
Lead investigator Simon Knowles also praised the victim’s courage in coming forward, saying her decision to report the offences was instrumental in securing justice.