An international manhunt is underway for a violent Sheffield paedophile who fled the UK and while on bail for 20 sex offences.

The sadistic actions of depraved Amar Ilyas, aged 41, left the five young girls he preyed upon in a range of locations across Sheffield, including popular city parks, between 2004 and 2008, “terrified.”

But in July 2025, 28 months after first being charged, Amar Ilyas is understood to have fled the country, travelling to Pakistan - and possibly beyond - allowing the cowardly sex offender to skip his trial and possibly avoid ever receiving any real punishment for his heinous crimes.

He was convicted of 20 historic sex offences after a trial in his absence, and concerns have been raised about why he was ever granted bail after being charged - leaving him free to flee the country.

It is now possible to report on Amar’s sex crimes, along with one for a firearm offence, after two of his brothers, Kamran Ilyas, 38 and Kamar Ilyas, 39, were found guilty of a catalogue of sex offences committed against one of Amar’s victims on Monday (March 9, 2026).

The conclusion of their Sheffield Crown Court trial meant the reporting restrictions around Amar’s case trial and conviction in September 2025, could be lifted.

Reacting to the result, investigators from the National Crime Agency’s Operation Stovewood praised the five survivors of Amar Ilyas’ abuse for their “determination to see the perpetrators face justice.”

But with Amar Ilyas’ whereabouts unknown, and the likelihood of him returning to the UK to be sentenced uncertain, a firm of solicitors which represents child abuse victims and survivors in Rotherham and other locations, said it is deeply concerning that he has “avoided accountability as a result of decisions within the justice system.”

Amy Clowrey, of Switalskis Solicitors, said Amar Ilyas being at liberty raises the “very real risk that further offences could be committed”.

The young girl abused by all three Ilyas brothers was attacked at locations across Sheffield, including Endcliffe Park | Dean Atkins

She said: “It is deeply concerning that yet another perpetrator accused of serious offences against children has avoided accountability as a result of decisions within the justice system. Amar Ilyas’s continued freedom raises the very real risk that further offences could be committed.

“This is not the first, and sadly not even the second, occasion where a suspect in cases of historical child sexual exploitation has evaded justice by leaving the country. Situations like this risk undermining survivors’ faith in the justice system and can cause significant distress to those who have already suffered greatly.

“For many survivors, knowing that the alleged abuser remains at large is extremely troubling. It can leave them feeling fearful for their safety and unable to properly move forward with their lives, particularly when they are left with uncertainty about whether the perpetrator will ever be located and brought before the courts.”

Operation Stovewood investigates non-familial child sexual exploitation and abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.

The NCA’s specialist team began the investigation into the Ilyas brothers, after Stovewood officers contacted a woman from Rotherham who said she had been groomed and raped by the brothers at locations across Sheffield.

Timeline of hearings, trials and bail decisions

• March 2023: The three brothers were first charged in March 2023, when they appeared before a District Judge at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court, who granted them all unconditional bail.

• April 2023: During their subsequent plea and trial preparation hearing at Sheffield Crown Court in April 2023, prosecutors did seek to vary the bail conditions of all three Ilyas brothers.

However, no requests for the brothers to surrender their passports - or other conditions relating to international documentation - were sought.

No subsequent applications to vary the bail conditions of Amar Ilyas were ever made.

• August 11, 2025: Amar Ilyas’ solicitors informed the court that he travelled to Pakistan on July 26, 2025, and applied to vacate his trial date for later that month.

They claimed he had booked a return flight to the UK.

• August 13, 2025: The application to vacate the trial of Amar Ilyas was rejected, and he was ordered to return from Pakistan for his trial.

• August 13 - 27, 2025: Amar Ilyas failed to return from Pakistan for his trial.

• August 28, 2025: Amar Ilyas’ trial proceeded in his absence, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. A reporting restriction was placed on the case, delaying reporting on the Amar Ilyas case until the conclusion of the trial of his brothers, and co-accused, Kamran and Kamar Ilyas.

• September 24, 2025: Amar Ilyas was found guilty of 20 sex offences, including 13 counts of rape, and one firearm offence in his absence.

• February 24, 2026: Trial of Kamar and Kamran Ilyas began.

• March 9, 2026: Kamar and Kamran Ilyas were found guilty of five sex offences committed against one of the girls preyed upon by Amar Ilyas. Reporting restriction prohibiting the publication of any details relating to the trial of Amar Ilyas was lifted.

The young girl abused by all three Ilyas brothers was attacked at locations across Sheffield, including Meersbrook Park | Marie Caley

What action will be taken now?

At the conclusion of their trial on Monday, Kamran and Kamar Ilyas, both of Atlow Close, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, were remanded into custody, ahead of their sentencing hearing on June 22, 2026, to allow for the preparation of pre-sentence reports.

A spokesperson for the National Crime Agency (NCA) said officers from its Operation Stovewood and the NCA’s Joint International Crime Centre are carrying out proactive enquiries to locate and arrest Amar Ilyas, formerly of Molloy Place, Meersbrook, Sheffield.

An extradition treaty between Britain and Pakistan does not currently exist, however special extradition agreements have previously been reached on a case-by-case basis.

*The Ministry of Justice has been contacted for comment.