Rapist jailed after fleeing UK in 2017

A man who fled the UK in 2017 after he was charged with raping a woman in her home has been jailed for more than seven years.

In September 2016, the victim was on a night out in the city with her friends when she met Mauro Eric Catamo De Oliveira in a club. 

During the evening, the group including De Oliveira returned to the victim’s accommodation in Leicester where during the night he entered her bedroom and raped her.

He then left the premises and was arrested later on the same day.

In April 2017 30-year-old De Oliveira was charged with rape of a woman and sexual assault on a female by penetration.

De Oliveira, a Portuguese national who formerly lived in Briton Street, was due to appear at Leicester Magistrates’ Court in May 2017 but failed to appear and following enquiries, it was established that he had left the country and flown to Portugal.

In March 2019, the force obtained a European Arrest Warrant and following a hearing at a Portuguese court in April 2020, permission was granted for De Oliveira to be flown back to the UK.

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, that process wasn’t able to go ahead as planned and in June last year, De Oliveira was flown back to the UK where he was remanded into custody.

Following a trial earlier this month, De Oliveira (pictured) was found guilty of both offences and on Monday (21 February), he was sentenced at Leicester Crown Court to seven years and two months in prison.  The two-month sentence was given for failing to appear in court.

Detective Sergeant Jamie Petchell was the investigating officer and worked tirelessly to bring De Oliveira to justice.  He said, “De Oliveira tried everything in his powers to evade capture and despite knowing that his bail conditions prevented him from leaving the country, he did so”.

“We used the powers available to us under the EAW to bring him back to the UK and answer to his crimes. This was in no way an easy process with many hurdles along the way”

“Understandably, given the amount of time that elapsed from the offences being committed to the trial (almost 6 years), this was a very stressful time for the victim. It was surrounded by uncertainty as to when the defendant would return to the UK and when the trial would take place due to the Covid-19 restrictions.  

“Regular contact and support for the victim throughout this period was maintained by Juniper Lodge and myself and it is a testament to the victim’s character and strength that she remained so understanding, patient and positive throughout.

“I am delighted that we were able to get justice for her despite the delays and obstacles we faced and hope this reassures the wider community that we will leave no stone unturned to bring people to justice.

“We have experienced and dedicated team of officers within the Signal team who deal with all reports of sexual crimes against adults.  They will guide victims through the process and offer them further support with partner agencies. 

“If you have been a victim of a sexual crime please do not hesitate in getting in touch and reporting the incident, there are many ways you can contact us including 101, via www.leics.police.uk or by contacting Juniper Lodge.

“Juniper Lodge is a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) that offers support, forensic medical facilities and advice, to anyone aged 18 years and above regardless of whether a report is made to the police.”

Specialist staff at Juniper Lodge can be contacted on 0116 273 3330 or via email at [email protected]