The case against a man accused of a serious sexual assault has been dropped after he fled to Romania.

Aurel Trifen, 60, has had a warrant out for his arrest since July 2021 after he failed to appear in court, but he was cleared of wrongdoing today (Friday) at Aylesbury Crown Court.

Trifen failed to appear for today’s hearing, prompting the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to state it was “not practical” to continue with the case.

The Crown Prosecution Service declined to present evidence in the upcoming trial against him, leaving Judge Catherine Tulk no choice but to find him not guilty on all counts.

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Trifen, of Ridgeway in Chandlers Ford, Hampshire, had been charged with assault by penetration and sexual assault. He pleaded not guilty to both counts in April 2021.

A warrant for Trifen’s arrest was made in July 2021 after he failed to appear in court.

The prosecutor in the case said: “There has been a warrant out for him for some time, he is believed to have gone back to Romania.

“It is just not practical to carry on with this case.”

After the CPS declined to offer any evidence in the case, Judge Catherine Tulk found Trifen not guilty of the two charges.

The outstanding arrest warrant was also withdrawn.