No bail for fugitive rapist

Masters fled from a guest house in Cardiff during the trial

A fugitive rapist who fled to France after jumping bail in Cardiff has lost the first round of his fight against being extradited.

Trevor Masters, 48, was refused bail on Tuesday by magistrates in Pau, south-west France.

If extradited to the UK, he faces a 12-year jail sentence.

Masters fled to the French village of Pau

Masters, a farm worker originally from Blaenavon, south Wales, has been on the run since jumping bail last August during his trial for rape.

The jury had been considering 14 charges of sex abuse and assault when he fled the country.

He was convicted in his absence at Cardiff Crown Court of nine charges - including rape, indecent assault, actual bodily harm, and attempted serious sexual offences against a child - and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

After several reported sightings in Europe, Masters was re-arrested at a cyber cafe in Pau, south-west France, a month ago.

Hearing date

He is now fighting an extradition request from the UK government.

Masters' barrister, Claude Garcia, intends to make a fresh bid for bail in a few days time.

There are now six days left for extradition papers to be served, and an extradition hearing is expected sometime in August or September.

Masters' girlfriend, Anna Fothergill, has stood by him throughout, and was in court to hear the bail plea defeated.

She has maintained he is innocent, and that there was a conspiracy to discredit him during the trial.

Trail went cold

The search for Masters involved police officers from Wales, France, and Interpol.

A huge hunt was launched after several reported sightings of the fugitive from British tourists on the Costa del Sol in Spain and at locations across France.

The trail went cold for a while but cashpoint withdrawals and other information led Interpol to the south-west of France and Masters was detained in the town of Pau.

Gwent Police have said it could take up to 18 months for him to be extradited to the UK.