MACCLESFIELD RAPIST JAILED AFTER 14 YEARS ON THE RUN
Gary Johnson, who previously lived in Macclesfield, was found guilty in absentia in 2006 of raping a woman aged 31.His initial sentence was for eight years imprisonment.
While out on bail following an attack in Urmston, Greater Manchester, in March 2004, Johnson fled the country using a forged passport.
Now aged 49, he was extradited to the UK on 21 February after being located in the Philippines.
His original trial in October 2005 ended with a hung jury on three counts, including rape, attempted rape, and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, prompting a retrial that Johnson did not attend.
He was subsequently tried in his absence in April 2006 and received an additional eight-year sentence.
Recently, he appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court and was sentenced to six months for breaching bail conditions.
Former Greater Manchester Police Detective Constable Keith Graham commented on the case, praising the victim’s courage and stressing the importance of bringing Johnson back to face justice: “It is for her sake that we have persisted and stayed committed to returning him to the UK so he can be held accountable for his heinous acts.”
