POLICE are appealing for information regarding a convicted rapist who has been on the run for a month.

Imran Khaliq, 38, from Bradford, was found guilty of two counts of raping a 17-year-old girl last year in a re-trial at Bradford Crown Court on February 23.

He failed to appear in court and Judge Colin Burn issued a warrant for his arrest.

Police have been searching for Khaliq in the past month, and had been travelling to Lancashire to try and track down Khaliq as the jury gave its verdict, and are now asking the public for help tracking him down.

Khaliq is described as Asian, of slim build, and around 5ft 6ins tall.

He has links to the Greater Manchester area.

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Detective Chief Inspector Paula Bickerdike, of Bradford District Police, said: “We are appealing to the public to help us trace Khaliq, who is due to be sentenced in his absence later this year.

“It is important that he faces justice for this serious offence and enquiries to trace him are ongoing.

“There is no information at this time which suggests he poses a risk to the public, but we would ask for anyone who sees him not to approach him and to contact police on 101, so he can be brought back before the courts to be sentenced for this offence.”

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During the first trial, jurors were told by prosecutor Sophie Drake how Khaliq had forced cocaine up the girl’s nose and threatened to smash a bottle over her head if she cried out.

She said he had locked the teenager in an attic bedroom at his house, seizing her in a headlock and telling her: “You know what I am going to do now,” before raping her repeatedly.