Runaway paedophile jailed in UK

Burnell was returned to the UK on Monday night

A paedophile who was on the run abroad for more than two years has been jailed after being returned to the UK.

Stephen Burnell, 56, was convicted in his absence of sex offences against a child after he fled to Crete in 2007.

He was sentenced to six years in prison for the offences, which included attempted rape and indecent assault.

At York Crown Court on Tuesday, Burnell pleaded guilty to failing to answer bail to stand trial and was sentenced to a further 11 months.

The Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, told Burnell the two sentences would be served consecutively.

Burnell, who is from Scunthorpe, was arrested in Crete on 7 October and returned to the UK on Monday night.

'Enormous stress'

After fleeing abroad in 2007 he was found guilty of attempted rape, indecent assault on a female, indecency with a child and taking indecent photographs of a child.

The charges related to attacks on a girl in North Yorkshire when she was aged between nine and 12.

Helen Hendry, defending, told the court Burnell decided to leave the country shortly before his trial "because of the enormous stress and pressure he felt under in the run-up".

Ms Hendry said Burnell first travelled from Liverpool to Amsterdam before flying to Greece, where he lived in Crete and worked at a taverna.

The barrister said he was arrested on the island following a "dispute".

Sentencing Burnell, Judge Ashurst said: "You failed to attend because you feared the consequences and you did so in the knowledge that [the victim] was telling the truth and her allegations would be proved in court.

"The court has given you every opportunity to attend at your trial and deal with the consequences of the allegations made against you.

"You chose to ignore that and go your own way."