A fugitive rapist who went on the run for two years is behind bars today.

Sex offender Andrew Alderman fled to Spain shortly before being convicted by a jury in 2006 - but handed himself in to the British Consulate in Madrid after his details were circulated on a police most wanted list.

Alderman was given a further three-month sentence for skipping bail but because his absence did not obstruct the trial, a judge made the term concurrent to the 10 years already passed.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the 49-year-old Canterbury-born father had intended to kill himself when he fled the country on August 30 2006, the day the jury retired to consider verdicts, but instead went to Spain.

Deborah Charles, prosecuting, said Alderman handed himself in on November 18 this year and British police collected him from Gatwick airport on Tuesday. He spent the night at Maidstone police station.

Judge Andrew Patience, QC, told Alderman: "It is clear to me you panicked when you saw how the trial was going. Quite what was going through your mind beyond that, I don't know.

"As it is, having got to Spain you lived there for two years before ultimately coming to your senses and realising you had to face up to these grave crimes."

Alderman was convicted of raping and indecently assaulting a girl and sentenced in his absence by Judge Timothy Nash, who said there had been "an appalling loss of control".

The court heard that Alderman, of Lavender Hill, Tonbridge, raped the victim when she was aged 15.

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