Child sex beast jailed after years on the run

A paedophile who repeatedly abused a young girl before going on the run for more than a decade after his crimes came to light has been jailed for 15 years.

Justice finally caught up with Anya Miah at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday when a jury unanimously convicted him of 17 child sex offences between spanning three years ending 1990.

Miah had been due to stand trial in November, 1998, but he failed to turn up at court and was at large for 13 years.

Jailing him for the “systematic abuse”, Judge Gerald Clifton said: “On the evidence which I have heard I am sure that very, very many times during that period you abused her. She was unable to turn to anyone for help.

“I hope that she has, by these verdicts, achieved some sort of relief from the pressure she must have been subjected to all these years.

“These feelings were increased because when you were due to be tried in November, 1998, you went on the run. She has had to wait another decade for her to get justice.”

Miah (52) of Picton Square, Oldham, had denied 16 offences of indecent assault and one charge of rape.

He claimed the girl’s allegation were all “lies” and insisted he had “forgotten” about the case after becoming ill when his original trial was due to start in 1998. But the jury of six women and six men took just an hour-and-a-half to unanimously reject his lies and convict him on all charges.

Miah, formerly of Toxteth, Liverpool, who was assisted by a translator, showed no emotion as he was found guilty.

Judge Clifton praised the prosecution for their efforts in “resurrecting the case”, which included tracing retired police officers and doctors.