A convicted rapist who was accidentally released from prison five months ago remains at large, despite a judge ordering him to return to Britain for sentencing. Bernadin Dedic, 48, was freed from HMP Wormwood Scrubs in February after a court official at Isleworth Crown Court mistakenly concluded he had been granted bail due to a mix-up of case files. Hours later, he boarded a Eurostar and fled to his native Bosnia and Herzegovina.
How the Mistake Happened
Dedic was on remand awaiting trial when the error occurred. An official at Isleworth Crown Court wrongly informed the prison that he had been granted bail. Dedic claimed he immediately told officers a mistake had been made and even asked to remain in custody. “They told me I was released. I said: ‘Let me stay the weekend, this is a mistake.’ But they pushed me out,” he told PA.
Despite police seizing his UK passport during the investigation, Dedic was able to travel using his Bosnian passport. He then spent five months evading justice, repeatedly claiming he could not return to the UK due to visa issues, a skiing accident, health problems, and a fear of flying.
Judge Orders Return
On 7 July, Judge Hannah Duncan ordered that a message be sent to Dedic and his brother instructing him to return to the UK for sentencing. “Sentencing is going to take place on 24 July and he is required to attend it and surrender to custody on that date,” she said.
Dedic had previously claimed through his lawyers that visa issues prevented his return. After those problems were resolved, he cited a skiing injury. Ahead of the rearranged trial in June, he claimed chest pains on the way to the airport. In a phone call last month, he reportedly said he did not intend to return, claiming his trial had not been fair. He now alleges a condition prevents him from being in enclosed spaces like aeroplanes, but suggested he would drive to the UK if granted a second trial.
Conviction in Absence
Despite his absence, Dedic was found guilty of four counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault by penetration, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, threatening a person with a knife in a private place, and making threats to kill. The court heard he lured a woman into the basement of his home in Ealing, west London, where he threatened her with a knife and warned he would kill her if she screamed. He then cut off her clothes before repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting her over several hours. He carried out the attacks after separating from his wife while heavily drinking and taking cocaine.
Investigation Underway
His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service has launched an investigation into the mistaken release. A spokesperson said: “We understand the distress errors such as this can cause to those affected and instances like this have exposed deep-rooted issues across the broken justice system the government inherited.”
