Rapist went on the run to avoid his day in court

Police believed three other defendants were preparing to flee, too

- BY ANDREW BARDSLEY

HIS name rang out inside the cramped, stuffy courtroom, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Kasir Bashir was conspicuous by his absence.

After denying his guilt and instructing a barrister, Bashir did not hang around to experience the consequences of his depraved behaviour years earlier.

Instead of spending months in court listening to and witnessing the impact of his crimes, Bashir, 50, fled the country before his trial.

It remains unclear if or when he will be dragged back to Manchester to face the music.

A market stall trader in Rochdale in the mid 2000s, he repeatedly raped and abused a teenager at a dark, dinghy flat in Oldham. He was in his mid 20s when he cynically exploited the vulnerable girl, who had just entered her teenage years, for his own perverted pleasure.

After a five-month trial, in which Bashir was tried in his absence and had a barrister acting on his behalf, he was found guilty of rape and indecency with a child.

He is due to be sentenced in his absence, unless he is brought back by September's sentencing hearing.

Bashir's status can now be revealed by the Observer following the conclusion of the five month case which concluded last Friday.

It can also be revealed that three of his co-defendants, Mohammed Shahzad, Naheem Akram and Nisar Hussain - who had been on bail - were remanded in custody ahead of the trial, after police received intelligence that the trio were planning on leaving the country.

Police claimed they had already paid a deposit for their transport.

They all denied the allegation.

In the absence of the jury, Judge Jonathan Seely said the court was not prepared to take the risk that they may abscond.

The jury was not informed of the reason why Bashir wasn't present in court.

They were simply told he was absent.