Convicted sex offender who fled Yorkshire found in Amsterdam

Pavels Zuravskis sexually assaulted a woman in 2015 in Malton, where he lived at the time.

The 27-year-old was charged and pleaded not guilty in court but then failed to attend his hearing.

In January 2017, a judge jailed him in his absence and ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for the rest of his life.

A European Arrest Warrant was issued by the court to trace Latvian-born Zuravskis.

He was tracked down to the Netherlands on Thursday, October 24 and brought back to York under police escort.

When he appears in front of a court, he will be jailed for his original sentence and could face further prison time for absconding.

Detective Inspector Eamonn Clarke, who led the extradition team in Amsterdam, said: “This is another example of where fugitives flee the UK and we work tirelessly with our international colleagues to locate and arrest them and then bring them back to face justice.

“As is the case here, it can take some years to do so. But is shows that we will not stop in the search for justice against those who commit serious offences and abscond from the UK.

"We will do everything we can to find you.

"Special thanks go to my colleague Paul Somerville from the Force Intelligence Bureau who worked hard with the logistics and liaison to ensure this extradition was possible.

“One of the worst things about this case is the additional anguish and upset Zuravskis has caused to his victim by going on the run.

“She has received support from specially-trained officers and agencies that specialise in helping victims of sexual offences, and I hope his capture provides some closure for her."