Police hunting a convicted human sex trafficker are appealing for the public’s help to find him.
On Friday 9 October 2015, Florin Radu, 31, of no fixed abode was convicted in his absence of human trafficking, controlling prostitution for gain and assault at Minshull Street Crown Court
So far all efforts to trace Radu have been unsuccessful and police are now appealing for the public’s help.
Sometime in August 2013, a 23-year-old woman came to the UK from Romania believing that she would be starting work as a waitress. Shortly after arriving in the UK, the victim was introduced to Radu in Dudley through a friend she had come into the country with.
Over the following months the victim was moved around a number of residential addresses and hotels in the Midlands and North West of England – including the Fallowfield, Oldham and Wigan areas of Greater Manchester – where she was forced to prostitute herself, with Radu taking all the money.
Any time the victim refused to engage in sexual activity, she was beaten by Radu.
In November 2013, whilst at an address in Oldham, the victim managed to escape and flag down a passing police car and tell them of her horrific ordeal.
Florin Radu was arrested at Luton Airport on 6 March 2014 before being charged and remanded but later bailed to appear at court the following day but he failed to appear at his trial. He was convicted in his absence.
He is believed to have links across the West Midlands, specifically the Dudley, Wolverhapton and Coventry areas, as well as Luton and areas across Greater Manchester.
Detective Constable Simon Hurdley of the Greater Manchester Police Sexual Crime Unit said: “We have been trying to trace Radu for some time and have exhausted all methods and so I would now like to ask for the public’s help to find him.
“He is a predator who preyed on a vulnerable woman who believed that she was coming to the UK for a better life before he got hold of her and made her life a misery, putting her through one horrific ordeal after another.
“We know he has links across the West Midlands and Greater Manchester as some other areas such as Luton so he truly could be anywhere.
“If you believe you may have seen him or you have any information on his whereabouts then please contact police.”
Anybody with information should contact police on 0161 856 5017 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
