Remus Covaciu was extradited from France to stand trial for raping a teenage girl. In November 2013 Covaciu was due to appear at the High Court in Edinburgh to face the charge. However, he failed to appear a court. At this time a warrant was issued for his arrest. 

Covaciu was traced and it emerged that he was living in eastern France with his partner and their two children. A European Arrest Warrant was granted in July 2020. Covaciu who is now 28 years old was traced and extradited. 

He pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to raping a woman in Aberdeen in January 2013. He also pled guilty to failing to appear at court and breaching his bail conditions. 

Advocate Depute John McElroy told the court that the victim had been attending a friend’s birthday party before ending up at the Institute Nightclub in Aberdeen. CCTV evidence showed the woman sitting on a pavement and Covaciu can be seen approaching her. The CCTV shows the woman to be drunk and incapable of giving consent. 

The two were seen chatting and he put his arm around the young woman. He then ‘unfastened’ his trousers and raped the woman. He walked away and left the teenage woman on the ground. A CCTV operator alerted police to the situation. 

Mr McElroy stated: “When officers arrived, she was intoxicated, in a dishevelled state and had no recollection”.

Covaciu was sentenced to three years and nine months’ imprisonment and he was placed on the sex offenders register.