SEX ATTACKER ON THE RUN AFTER CARDIFF STUDENTS' UNION INCIDENT
A Cardiff University graduate is thought to have fled the UK while awaiting a sentence for a sexual assault on a young woman.Amit Patil was hours into his first shift working at the bar of the students' union when he attacked the customer.
The 27-year-old was found guilty of sexual assault in a January trial at Cardiff Magistrates' Court where a judge ruled he had suddenly reached under the customer's skirt and groped her over her underwear.
Patil was meant to return to the court in February to be sentenced but did not show and a warrant was issued for arrest without bail, we reported at the time.
Now a South Wales Police spokeswoman has told WalesOnline: "It is believed he may have travelled to India.
He remains wanted for failing to appear at court." We have asked the force if it will look to make use of the extradition treaty between India and the UK, and whether it is actively looking for Patil.
During the January trial, the defence solicitor Robert Chudleigh said Patil's visa was due to expire at the end of that month.
"His plan was to return to India at that point but he recognises the authority of the court and wouldn't seek to leave the jurisdiction," the solicitor said at the time.
Deputy District Judge Gareth Williams found Patil guilty of sexual assault and granted bail as he adjourned sentencing to February 4 for a pre-sentence report to gather more information about the defendant.
Patil, who lived in Newport Road in Rumney, had recently graduated from Cardiff University in data science and analytics.
He attacked the victim in summer last year at the end of his first shift at the students' union bar in Park Place, Cathays.
Although Patil denied there was any physical contact, Judge Williams said his "implausible" claims were undermined by CCTV footage and the victim's "credible" account.
The CCTV did not clearly show the sexual assault itself but the judge said it showed there was enough space for Patil to pass the victim without going so close to her.
He added that Patil had failed to explain why the victim immediately turned around and reacted with anger after he passed her.
"She described a deliberate upward movement of your fingers over her genital area," Judge Williams told Patil.
The judge concluded it was not possible this could have happened "by accident or chance".
You can read our full court report on the trial here.
