Cricketer could be extradited

Mohammed Fazal, 27, a professional for Saltburn in East Cleveland, fled to his home country three weeks before his trial was due to start on Teesside.

He was convicted in his absence of raping a 21-year-old woman, who was asleep in his home.

Fazal denied any sexual contact with her but they were linked by DNA tests, said prosecutor David Brooke.

Judge Peter Armstrong told the Teesside Crown Court jury that Fazal claimed he left the UK to be with his father also Mohammed Fazal,65, who had a heart attack.

But a fax from a clinic in Sialkot, Pakistan, said he had lumbago and sciatica.

Mr Brooke said that Fazal denied any sexual contact with her but he alleged that she touched him intimately and asked him for money.

Fazal said that he refused and he ordered her to leave his house.

Fazal of Beaumont Road, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough was found guilty of rape, but was cleared of attempted rape on 25 March last year.

Sentencing, the judge said: "He absconded back to Pakistan.

"There is now an extradition treaty with Pakistan but whether it applies to offences committed before it was signed would need to be investigated."

But a spokesman from the Home Office said an extradition treaty had not yet been signed.

However, the Crown Prosecution Service and the police could still apply to the Pakistan Government to have an individual extradited.

The spokesman said: "We are still working with the Pakistan authorities to agree an extradition treaty between our two countries. This work is in the final stages but we do not have a date as yet for when the treaty will be signed.

"In the absence of a general extradition agreement, the police and CPS can still make a request to the Pakistan Government on an individual basis to extradite an individual."

A spokesman from the CPS last night said: "At this stage we cannot confirm whether we would be seeking extradition or not."

However, it is understood the case will be looked at next week.