On the run rapist Saqib Salam today had his nine-year jail sentence extended when he was produced in custody at Bradford Crown Court after being arrested in Hungary.

Salam, 34, of Balme Street, Wyke, Bradford, had an extra three weeks added to his pris-on term by Recorder Abdul Iqbal QC.

He was arrested on a Bench Warrant after absconding while on bail and being convicted by a jury in his absence of two charges of rape and one count of perverting the course of justice by attempting to delete CCTV footage.

He was sentenced to nine years imprisonment in his absence at Bradford Crown Court on September 8.

Salam appeared before the judge on a video link to HMP Leeds and admitted breaching his bail by cutting off his ankle tag and absconding three days before his trial was due to start on August 16.

His barrister Dominic D’Souza said his client had “lost his nerve” and was frightened of the court process.

Recorder Iqbal said Salam had been making sustained attempts not only to leave the jurisdiction but possibly Europe when he knew he faced very serious sexual offences.

Mr D’Souza said it had been an ill-advised decision made at the 59th minute of the 11th hour.

Recorder Iqbal said if Salam had managed to leave the European Union there would have been a real risk of him evading justice altogether or at least for an indefinite peri-od of time.

The rapes happened at an address in Bradford in July, 2018.

The police used specialised software to recover the CCTV footage which showed Salam using force to push his victim into a room where he raped her.

He was detained by Hungarian border authorities as he attempted to enter Romania on a false passport at the same time as his trial was taking place.

West Yorkshire Police liaised with overseas authorities to arrange for his return to the United Kingdom to serve his sentence.

Detectives from the force collected him from Heathrow Airport on Friday before bring-ing him back to West Yorkshire.

DC Nick Ramsden, of Bradford CID, said: “Salam is a dangerous individual who preyed on his victim’s vulnerability.

“He twice tried to avoid justice – by attempting to delete video evidence of his actions, and by leaving the country before his trial.

“He has received the sentence he deserves and that has to be welcomed.

“I am also grateful to the Romanian and Hungarian authorities for the fact that he has been detained while attempting to evade the justice he deserves for carrying out these offences.”