Sebastian Pavel Baltatu, born 2 September 2001, was tracked down by Greater Manchester Police after officers discovered he had breached both his deportation order and strict sex offender requirements.
Baltatu had previously been jailed for three years in 2019 after being convicted of raping a child under the age of 13. He was subsequently deported in 2020.
However, routine checks by officers from the Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU) revealed he had re-entered the UK illegally. Further enquiries established that he was living in Manchester, where he was eventually traced after attempting to make a claim for Universal Credit.
In March 2026, officers carried out a coordinated operation at an address in the Gorton area, where Baltatu was arrested and taken into custody.
At Manchester Crown Court on 17 April, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to five breaches of his sex offender notification requirements, as well as breaching his deportation order.
Authorities have confirmed that deportation proceedings will now be initiated once again following the completion of his sentence.
Police said the case highlights the importance of ongoing monitoring of convicted offenders and their commitment to ensuring those who pose a risk to the public are brought back before the courts.
