Ealing rapist on the run after accidentally being freed from prison

Bernadin Dedic found guilty of nine counts of rape, sexual assault and violent threats

Bernadin Dedic; Image Metropolitan Police

A rapist who held his victim at knifepoint and threatened to murder her fled to continental Europe after he was accidentally freed from prison.

Bernadin Dedic, 48, was found guilty in his absence at Isleworth Crown Court today.

The court heard he had been drinking red wine and was high on cocaine when he pulled out a knife on the woman, telling her that if she screamed she “wouldn’t be heard”.

He cut off her clothes before raping her and sexually assaulting her over a period of several hours.

Dedic was described as ‘a businessman’ who lived in Ealing. The jury found him guilty of four charges of rape, two counts of sexual assault by penetration, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, threatening a person with a knife when in a private place, and making a threat to kill.

He was remanded in custody last year after he was charged but was mistakenly set free from HMP Wormwood Scrubs in February after a court official had wrongly told the prison he had been granted bail.

Although the Metropolitan Police had seized his UK passport, he was able to use his Bosnian passport to book a seat on the Eurostar within hours of being released and is now back in Bosnia.

Isleworth Crown Court; Google Streetview

Prosecutor Simon Sanford told the jury at Isleworth Crown Court Dedic carried out the attacks at his west London home, shortly after separating from his partner.

A Press Association reporter in court reported Dedic was thought to have consumed as much as four bottles of red wine and snorted lines of cocaine before luring the woman to his basement, after she had turned down his offer of “no strings attached” sex.

“When downstairs, she turned towards the stairs and saw him, holding a red-handled oriental kitchen knife”, said the prosecutor.

“He stepped towards her, took hold of her and said he would kill her and then kill himself.

“She was extremely frightened but tried to calm him down. He said if she screamed, she wouldn’t be heard.”

Dedic slapped the woman in the face and told her to “shut up”, used the knife to cut off her sports bra and top, and then ordered her to remove the rest of her clothing, the court heard.

“She was terrified and was prepared to do whatever he said.”

He has given a succession of excuses for not coming back to the UK to face trial, including a knee injury from a skiing accident and a heart attack.

Judge Hannah Duncan said she was “far from convinced he has had a heart attack” but asked for medical reports. She noted he had only sought medical help after telling the court that he was suffering from chest pain. Tests had revealed his heart rate was normal, and he was discharged by the hospital.

She decided the trial should go ahead without him, pronouncing:

“This is yet another attempt by Mr Dedic to obstruct, manipulate and avoid justice.”

If he fails to return for the sentencing hearing, the UK authorities are expected to commence extradition proceedings so that he can serve his sentence.