Northampton man who fled to Moldova convicted over assault
It follows a trial in which he wasn't present
A 30-year-old man has been convicted of rape, after he fled to Moldova with a trial took place in his absence.
On the night of December 19, 2020, Victor Braga, previously of Drydale Avenue, Northampton, raped a woman inside a flat in Semilong.
During the attack, Braga pinned the woman to a bed and despite her repeatedly telling him she didn’t want sex, he proceeded to carry out the attack.
Braga was identified as the suspect, arrested for the offence and charged with one count of rape in 2022. He appeared at Northampton Crown Court on December 14 that year where he pleaded not guilty to the offence and was bailed to return to court in late 2023 for a trial.
However, in that time Braga managed to flee the country and is currently believed to be in Moldova.
A trial took place in his absence which ended with the jury taking just one hour to convict him. He was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison.
Police officers are now working to ensure he returns to this country to serve his sentence.
Lead investigator - Detective Sergeant Andrea Taylor said: “First of all, I want to commend the woman in this case for her courage. This has been a very complex investigation which was delayed a number of times and her strength throughout has been incredible as well as inspiring.
“No one should have had to go through what she did, and although nothing can ever erase those memories, I hope the conclusion of this case provides her with some sense of closure. She has a bright future ahead of her and I know she can achieve great things.
“Tackling violence against women and girls is something we’re very passionate about at Northamptonshire Police and we will continue to do everything we can to protect people and bring offenders to justice.”