A BARROW man with an ‘unenviable’ criminal record has been jailed after he absconded during a rape trial.

Paul Turner fled Preston Crown Court and was apprehended after a 'foot chase' near Barrow's train station.

He admitted failing to surrender to bail on October 9 and was sentenced back at Preston on October 22.

The 37-year-old was acquitted by a jury of raping a woman on no fewer than two occasions between 2019 and 2020.

Turner, of Broad Close, was also cleared of three other counts of sexual assault on a female, engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour and intentional strangulation.

Prosecuting the case for the admitted bail act offence, Joe Hart said: “On October 9, Your Honour had risen to consider a bad character application. This defendant absconded from court in the afternoon and you issued a bench warrant for his arrest at 3:10 pm.

“There were no signs of the defendant in Preston. As a result, the jury were sent home at 3:20 pm.

“Police were alerted and attended Barrow train station where following a short foot chase he was apprehended. He did not surrender himself.”

Nicola Carroll blamed her client not taking his medication for his behaviour.

She told the court: “He had not taken his anti-psychotic medication that day. He made the decision to leave the building, and was later arrested at 5pm.  

“Despite his unenviable record, his last conviction for failing to surrender came eight years ago in 2016. He has always come to court when he needs to.

“I ask you to sentence him today to a term which allows for his immediate release from custody. He has been inside now for 13 days."

His Honour Judge Graham Knowles KC jailed Turner for four weeks.

Before imposing the sentence, he told the defendant: “You deliberately attempted to evade or delay justice with your actions. You knew you were supposed to stay here, and you chose to run off.

“There was a substantial interference with the administration of justice. It left me and everyone else not knowing when you would be arrested and when the trial would continue.

“If you jump bail during a trial, it is very bad business. This is not a minor offence.

“You have a fairly lawless record with little respect for the courts and the law.

“However, you turned up for your trial every day and it is not an easy task for anyone to come from Barrow to Preston.”