Norfolk paedophile arrested after going on the run

Convicted sex offender Christopher Brown

BEN KENDALL
04 August 2009 19:52



A convicted Norfolk paedophile who fled to Eastern Europe has been arrested trying to sneak back into the country after seven months on the run.

Christopher Brown was convicted in his absence of a series of sex attacks after jumping bail days before his trial began at Norwich Crown Court in January. It is thought he left the country in a furniture van, unchallenged by the authorities.

Brown, who had various addresses in King's Lynn, Stoke Ferry and Methwold, was sentenced to 13 years behind bars but there had been fears he would never return to serve his sentence.

But the 58-year-old was arrested on Sunday by officers from Kent police at the Channel Tunnel after he arrived on a Eurostar train.

Norfolk police issued a statement, saying: “Norfolk constabulary have successfully arrested Christopher Brown who was convicted in his absence of sex offences at the end of January 2009.

“Investigations into his where-abouts established he was last seen in Bulgaria before being arrested on entry into the United Kingdom over the weekend.”

Brown, who worked as a courier, has been ordered to serve an extra 28 days for absconding and Norfolk police are investigating whether further charges can be brought.

The arrest follows a long-running joint investigation by Norfolk police and Interpol. Members of the public had reported sightings on the continent. He had not been considered a danger to the public.

Brown was convicted of three charges of rape, four indecent assaults and another serious sexual offence. The offences date between 1983 and 1989 and were carried out on two girls.

The court was tipped off about Brown fleeing by an anonymous phone call and his trial was initially delayed to allow police to trace him. When he could not be found it went ahead without him.

Police announced a full review of their procedures in requesting bail conditions for serious offenders after admitting failures in the system. Brown had been on unconditional bail and nobody was keeping tabs on his whereabouts.

Police said after his disappearance that he had no previous history of absconding and had attended every police and legal appointment.

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