Dutch fugitive team arrests man convicted of child abuse and sexual assault in UK
A 42-year-old Dutch man of Congolese descent was arrested in Berkel-Enschot, Noord-Brabant. He had previously been convicted in the United Kingdom for seriously abusing and sexually assaulting the children of his ex-partner.
A British judge handed the man a 13-year prison sentence on April 28 for the crimes. Following his conviction, he fled the United Kingdom in an effort to avoid serving the sentence.
A few weeks after he fled, British authorities formally asked Dutch police to help track him down. Thanks to close cooperation and intelligence-sharing through ENFAST, the European network of specialist fugitive-hunting units, investigators were able to identify his location.
The man lived and resided in the United Kingdom with his partner at the time. During that period, he severely abused and sexually assaulted her children. To protect the victims' privacy, police have withheld specific details regarding the abuse, the children's ages, and the exact British town where they lived.
The man was taken into custody in Berkel-Enschot on Wednesday. The arrest was carried out by FASTNL, a specialist Dutch police team dedicated to tracking down and capturing fugitives on the run.
In addition to requesting assistance in tracking him down, British authorities formally sought his extradition, allowing him to be returned to the United Kingdom to serve his prison term.
