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Bernadin Dedic, convicted of multiple rapes and threats with a knife, was mistakenly released from HMP Wormwood Scrubs after a clerical error and left the UK on a Eurostar train. He failed to appear for his trial, offering dubious health excuses, and now faces extradition as UK courts prepare to impose a lengthy jail term.
A Bosnian national who violently assaulted a woman in west London has fled the country after an administrative blunder allowed him to walk out of a high‑security prison.
Bernadin Dedic, 48, was serving a pre‑trial remand at HMP Wormwood Scrubs when a court clerk mistakenly recorded that he had been granted bail. The error was acted upon on 6 February and the inmate was released, after which he travelled on a Eurostar train back to Bosnia. The mistake has sparked outrage among prosecutors and judges, who say it exposed a serious weakness in the criminal‑justice system.
Dedic had been accused of a prolonged, terror‑inducing attack on a woman in his Ealing home. According to the Crown Prosecution Service, the perpetrator lured the victim to his basement after she rejected an offer of "no‑strings‑attached" sex. While under the influence of large quantities of red wine and cocaine, Dedic brandished a red‑handled oriental kitchen knife, threatened to kill the woman and then kill himself, and warned that any scream would go unheard.
He slapped her, stripped her of her clothing using the knife to cut through her sports bra, and forced her to comply with his commands while repeatedly threatening her life. The victim managed to stay as calm as possible, but lived in constant fear throughout the ordeal. After the assault, Dedic was arrested and held in custody pending trial.
During the subsequent hearing at Isleworth Crown Court, the prosecution presented the graphic details of the attack, and the court heard that Dedic had consumed up to four bottles of wine and multiple lines of cocaine before the assault. The judge, Hannah Duncan, described the defendant's behaviour as "a calculated and brutal attempt to dominate and terrorise the victim".
On the day of the trial, Dedic failed to appear, offering a series of implausible excuses - a reported heart attack, a skiing accident that supposedly damaged his knee, and difficulties obtaining a visa. He claimed that his UK passport had been seized by the Metropolitan Police, but he used his Bosnian passport to board the train to Sarajevo.
The court was forced to proceed in his absence; Dedic was subsequently found guilty of four counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault by penetration, and multiple offences involving threats with a knife and threats to kill. The sentencing hearing is now pending, and British authorities have indicated they will initiate extradition proceedings to bring Dedic back to the UK to serve the lengthy custodial term he faces.
Judge Martin Edmunds, the Recorder of Kensington and Chelsea, expressed frustration at the repeated attempts by the defendant to evade accountability, noting that the bail error was "extremely rare" and that a full investigation would be launched to prevent similar administrative failures in the future. The case has reignited discussion about the protection of victims, the handling of high‑risk offenders on remand, and the need for robust checks when processing bail decisions.
Legal experts stress that while procedural mistakes can occur, they must be swiftly corrected to maintain public confidence in the justice system and to ensure that perpetrators of violent sexual crimes are not allowed to escape punishment
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