Rapist who escaped from court moments after being convicted hands himself in to police

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A rapist who vaulted the dock to escape from court moments after he was found guilty of attacking a teenage girl has been arrested.

Bradley Tout managed to dodge security staff and run out of Worcester Crown Court following his conviction last week.

West Mercia Police launched a manhunt but the 20-year-old managed to remain on the run for five days. He finally handed himself in on Monday morning.

The force had warned that anyone found harbouring Tout would also be committing a criminal offence.

Tout and his co-defendant Kulin Odedra, 28, were both convicted of raping the 16 year-old victim following a two week trial.

The pair had attacked the girl in a car park at Worcestershire County Hall and in secluded woodland on the night of 27 December 2016.

When the jury delivered their unanimous verdicts, member's of Tout's family sitting in the public gallery shouted: "He’s innocent."

Tout then jumped over the wall of the dock and forced his way into the main hall at Worcester Crown Court before bursting through the double doors into the street..

A custody officer suffered broken ribs when he fell while chasing the runaway.

Following Tout's escape, judge Nicolas Cartwright told the jury: “Well, I've never seen anything like that happen before.”

The next day Worcester native Tout was jailed in his absence for seven-and-a-half years on a single count of rape.

His father Matt, 38, vowed to appeal the conviction.

He said: "Bradley panicked when he heard the guilty verdicts. I have not spoken to him myself but I have been in contact with third parties. He just needs to get his head around things. I always wanted him to hand himself in before he gets caught by the police."

Odedra was jailed for a total of 11-and-a-half years after being convicted of two counts of rape, one of attempted rape and one of assault by penetration.

Detective Sergeant Jim Hopkins said: "These offences have a huge impact on victims not only physically but mentally and emotionally. The victim in this case has shown amazing resilience and bravery both reporting this to the Police but giving evidence in court and being subject to cross examination."

A third man was cleared of charges of paying a child for sexual services.

Reporting by agencies