A sex attacker who was on the run for eight years after raping a teenage girl is now behind bars.
Remus Covaciu preyed on the drunk 18-year-old outside a nightclub in Aberdeen on January 19, 2013.
Covaciu was held that night and first appeared in the dock days later.
He was then due to face the charge at the High Court in Edinburgh in November 2013, but failed to show.
A warrant was then issued for his arrest at that time.
But, he remained at large and it emerged he had latterly set up life with his partner and two children in France.
A European Arrest Warrant was granted in July 2020.
Covaciu, now 27-years-old, was traced and extradited back to Scotland in April 2021 to face justice.
He pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to the rape charge as well as failing to show for the previous hearing and breaching bail.
The Romanian national will be sentenced next month.
Prosecutor John McElroy on Thursday told how the victim had been at a friend’s birthday party before ending up at the Institute nightclub in Bridge Street, Aberdeen.
After leaving, CCTV clocked her sitting on the pavement as Covaciu approached.
He had been living in the Torry area of the city at the time.
They were seen chatting and, at one stage, the sex attacker puts his arm around the young woman.
Mr McElroy said Covaciu eventually “unfastened” his trousers, took advantage of the drunk victim and raped her.
He then walked off leaving the teenager on the ground.
A concerned CCTV operator alerted police to the victim in the street.
Mr McElroy said: “When officers arrived, she was intoxicated, in a dishevelled state and had no recollection (of being attacked).
“Covaciu was traced to a nearby shop by police.”
After later being bailed, Covaciu was also ordered to sign in twice at a local police station, which he failed to do.
Lady Drummond remanded Covaciu in custody and deferred sentencing until next month in Aberdeen.
She also put him on the sex offenders list.
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