A man who vanished from his sex trial at Canterbury Crown Court has been found after claiming to have taken an overdose.

George Williams-Sainsbury, 70, had been given bail after a jury retired to consider its verdicts on 14 rape and sex assault charges dating back to the 1970s.

But after telling his lawyers he was on his way to court, Williams-Sainsbury vanished – sparking a police hunt.

Hours before the jury returned to deliver guilty verdicts on the offences, which happened in Folkestone, Williams-Sainsbury fled to south Wales where he is living.

Judge Heather Norton was told he had informed a doctor he had taken an overdose – and was later found by a quarry near Bridgend.

He had telephoned medical staff to tell them he had taken an overdose – and then hung up, the court heard.

Police were alerted and began a search of the Bridgend area and found him in a quarry.

The court heard that had he not been found so quickly "he might well have been discovered dead".

Williams-Sainsbury – who had denied the offences – was then admitted to a psychiatric hospital for treatment.

But Judge Norton ordered a bench warrant – resulting in him being arrested and returned to Kent under police escort.

He was formally remanded into custody this afternoon and will be sentenced in October after psychiatric and probation reports have been prepared.

The judge told him: "You must prepare yourself for going to prison for a lengthy period".