He 'thought the coast was clear' after 10 years on the run but he was wrong
A paedophile spent nearly 10 years on the run outside of the UK after fleeing to Yemen when his crimes first came to light. But Ali Alduhlaimi has now finally been brought to justice, having returned to this country when he wrongly "thought that the coast was clear".
It came after the vile sex offender subjected a girl to a sickening campaign of rape and abuse when she was aged as young as four. He remains remorseless for his actions however and sat emotionless in the dock as he was handed a huge prison sentence today.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Thursday that Alduhlaimi first moved to the United Kingdom from his native Yemen in 2004. Ben Berkson, prosecuting, described how the now 41-year-old then obtained British citizenship in 2009, having lived in the Old Swan area.
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However, he then fled to his home country in 2015 after his victim disclosed to her mum that he had repeatedly raped and sexually abused her, having also forced her to watch pornographic videos. When he was finally arrested and interviewed after returning to these shores years later, Alduhlaimi "claimed that she was lying".
In a statement which was read out to the court on her behalf, the complainant said: "It will always be something in the back of my mind, humbling me and reminding me who I am and of what happened. It makes me sick to still keep this secret every single day.
"I feel as if everything was my fault, even if I was just a kid. Remembering the look on my mum's face when I told her what the defendant had done haunts me.
"You tarnished my innocence and you never apologised once. No amount of therapy or antidepressants will convince me that life is worth living.
"I'm still scared of you. I can't laugh from the bottom of my heart or show genuine happiness. Your abuse serves as a constant reminder that I am weak.
"I despise everything about you. Justice can never bring back my childhood, repair my past or change my future. My life has been destroyed entirely by you."
Alduhlaimi has no previous convictions. Cheryl Mottram, defending, told the court: "I can offer no mitigation in relation to the offending and I can offer no remorse from the defendant either.
"He has always been a working man who has provided for his family, both here and for his family that reside in Jordan. Upon leaving the UK, he went to Yemen and he started a new life. He worked while he was in Yemen and he he has worked continually throughout his life."
Alduhlaimi was convicted of two counts of rape, sexual assault, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and causing a child to watch sexual activity by a jury following a trial. Assisted by an interpreter in court, he showed no emotion and sat with his arms folded as he was jailed for 21 years and handed an additional year on licence.
Sentencing, Judge Anil Murray said: "I find that you fled to Yemen in order to flee justice as your victim had found the strength to tell her mother about the sexual abuse at your hands. You stayed out of the UK for about nine years, until you thought the coast was clear and that you would not be subjected to proceedings.
"You were wrong about that. The complainant had the courage and fortitude to to keep her resolve and seek to obtain justice.
"She says that your behaviour has affected her whole life. There is an articulate victim personal statement in this case. It makes for harrowing reading. There are no signs that the effects of your sexual abuse are wearing off.
"She says that your offending still looms over her today. She says she feels guilty when, in fact, the guilt is all yours. You have taken no responsibility for your actions and you have shown no remorse."
Alduhlaimi was also given a lifelong sexual harm prevention order. He was meanwhile banned from contacting his victim indefinitely under a restraining order.