Police hunt for rapist who failed to attend trial

Detectives are trying to trace a man who went on the run before he was convicted of raping a student in St Andrews.

Omed Hassan failed to turn up at the High Court in Edinburgh for the final day of his trial on Thursday when jurors were deliberating their verdict.

Hassan, 26, of Perth, had denied assaulting the woman while she was asleep and incapable of consenting at an address in the Fife town on 3 February 2023.

But he was convicted after the judge told the jury that it was in the interests of justice for the trial to proceed in the accused’s absence.

After a guilty verdict was returned Lord Ericht said a warrant had been issued for the arrest of Hassan – who had been on bail since February last year – and deferred sentence on him for the preparation of a background report.

He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register.

Police Scotland said Hassan, who is around 6ft with short black hair, is known to frequent Perth, Aberdeen and Fife.

Officers said the public should not to approach him and urged anyone with information as to his whereabouts to contact the force.