Leeds fugitive who committed sex offences is arrested in Cambodia

Damien Midgley’s trial was held at York Crown Court in 2014 but he did not attend the hearing.

The 39-year-old, formerly from Aberford, was convicted in his absence and sentenced to six years in jail.

A warrant was issued for his arrest while investigations to trace him continued.

He is believed to have spent time in Thailand before moving on to Cambodia.

Appeals had been posted on a number of local online forums and websites in both countries, with one – Khmer440.com – reporting that Midgley was arrested on Wednesday.

North Yorkshire Police today confirmed that he been found and arrested after two years on the run.

Midgley is currently in custody and arrangements are being made by North Yorkshire Police, the National Crime Agency and the Cambodian authorities to have him deported to UK.

Detective Inspector Jane Guymer, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “Our officers have worked tirelessly to bring a convicted paedophile Damien Midgley to justice.

“Midgley clearly thought that by fleeing the UK he would be somehow immune to the sentence that the courts handed him in his absence.

“However, this case proves that international barriers are no obstacle when it comes to ensuring vile and cowardly child sex offenders are held to account for their actions.”

Midgley was found guilty of 10 charges of sexually assaulting a girl under 13 and one of inciting a child under 13 to commit a sexual act.

The offences were committed over several years when he was working as a riding instructor at the Newthorpe Equestrian Centre near South Milford.