A religious leader who carried out sex attacks on two young girls at his Dudley mosque has fled the country using a false passport.

Hafiz Rahman who was convicted by a jury on five specimen charges of indecent assault has flown to Bangladesh to avoid being slapped behind bars.

Judge Nicholas Cartwright, who issued a warrant for his arrest, was told Rahman had bought a ticket through an agency for Bangladesh on Friday and he had illegally left the United Kingdom just 24 hours later.

He said Wolverhampton Crown Court had been told on Friday he was too ill to attend as the eight man-four woman were considering the evidence at the end of his five day trial.

The judge said: "I can only infer he decided to avoid sentence for these sexual assaults and he has no intention of returning voluntarily."

And he said that by carrying out his disappearing act Rahman of Ballard Road, Netherton - a father of seven with ten grandchildren - had caused considerable embarrassment to his family.

There was a likelihood, said the judge, that Rahman who was the Imam at the Queens Cross mosque had left behind assets in this country.

There was probably equity in his home and a full investigation would have to take place, the judge went on, to determine what property could be seized.

The judge ruled that Rahman who surrendered his own passport to his solicitors as part of the bail conditions he has breached would now be sentenced for his crimes on November 3.

DC Liz Skype from the West Midlands Police public protection unit told the court that a check had been made at the home of Rahman on Friday when he had been at the mosque.

The police were then assured he was ready to return to the Crown Court but on Saturday one of his son's reported to officers his father was missing.

Inquiries then revealed he had flown to Bangladesh after a one-way ticket was purchased on Friday by an agency and the travel documents used by Rahman were clearly false.

The officer said Rahman who had denied committing the offences 30 years ago had been allowed to keep his freedom because at the time he had not breached the conditions of his bail.

Tariq Shakoor, who defended Rahman during the course of his trial, said an investigation would have to be made into how he was able to leave the country without his own passport.

During his trial Rahman's two victims described to the jury how they had been touched sexually by the Imam when they attended his mosque for religious studies.

After his conviction the judge said sentencing guidelines meant Rahman was facing a prison sentence of up to four years for his crimes.