Attacker who raped three women then fled UK on fake passport is finally caught after more than 25 years

Maboob Bostan used a false passport to leave the country while on bail after being charged with sex offences in 1998.

He was facing charges relating to the rape of a teenager in Batley in January 1997, as well as a woman in her 20s in February 1998, which also took place in his hometown of Batley.

Forensic work by West Yorkshire Police officers undertaken in 2006 also linked Bostan to a further rape in Manningham Park, Bradford, which took place in September 1997.

The police tried to extradite Bostan from Pakistan, where he was found to be living, but he was arrested at Manchester Airport in January of this year when the 54-year-old flew back into the country of his own accord.

He was once again arrested and also charged with the extra Bradford rape.

He was due to stand trial in July this year but pleaded guilty to three charges of rape at the start of the trial.

Bostan, of Purlwell Hall Road in Batley, was jailed for 24 years with an extended licence period of six years.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Stephen King, of West Yorkshire Police’s Major Investigation Review Team, the team behind Operation Recall, said: “First and foremost, my thoughts go out to the victims in this case who have had to wait so long to see justice being done. I hope this brings some comfort and closure to them.

“Maboob Bostan chose to flee the country rather than be answerable for his crimes, but we never gave up on bringing him to justice.

“We sought his extradition back to the United Kingdom as recently as 2022 after further investigation by the Operation Recall team provided us with a forensics breakthrough that linked him to the Bradford offence.

“I have no doubt that Bostan is a dangerous individual and a risk to females wherever he is, so I’m pleased that justice has finally been done and he has been given a lengthy jail sentence.

“We have specialist child and adult safeguarding teams working across West Yorkshire and I would urge anyone who has been the victim of sexual offences to contact us.”