Fugitive Eastern European criminal entered UK legally and raped two women in knife-point attacks

By Tara Brady

Published: 22:01 GMT, 14 January 2013 | Updated: 07:17 GMT, 15 January 2013

Guilty: Just weeks after arriving in Liverpool, Mindaugus Butkus stalked two women before raping them in separate attacks

A fugitive Eastern European criminal exploited EU 'open door' border laws to enter Britain and rape two women in terrifying twin attacks. 

Mindaugas Butkus, 23, fled his native Lithuania over a vicious knife-point robbery - yet he was allowed to come to the UK legally and without permission saying he wanted to work here to support his family back home.

Just weeks after arriving in Liverpool, he stalked two women before beating one across the face and threatening the other with a knife in two separate rapes.

Bizarrely an EU arrest warrant for Butkus was only issued in Lithuania after police alerted the authorities to his arrest for the sex attacks.

Yesterday, a row broke out as Butkus began a life sentence having been convicted of six charges of rape, assault, having an offensive weapon and robbery. 

Paul Nuttall, UKIP North West MEP, said: 'This case highlights the real victims of our membership of the EU are those whose lives cannot be protected from vile criminals like this man.

'It shows we cannot protect our borders. How can anybody say that not being able to keep criminals out of this country is in our national interest? I would like the victims to be able to sue the government.'

Vicious thug Butkus had originally been jailed for six years in Lithuania for a robbery in which he slashed a victim above the eye with a knife. 

He served just under two-years-only to be released pending an appeal.

But rather than stay and face court, the former welder disappeared and fled without the knowledge of the Lithuanian authorities.

Scroll down to see CCTV

Prowled: CCTV footage of Butkus (circled in blue) following the young student (circled in red)

The girl was followed through the city centre by Mindaugas Butkus (circled blue) before he raped her

He was allowed to legally enter Britain on New Years Eve 2011 because Lithuania is one of eight 'European Economic Area' countries who can send their countrymen to work in the UK without having to register with the Home Office.

At the time police in Lithuania did not realise Butkus had disappeared so he was not flagged up as wanted when he arrived in Liverpool and showed his passport.

In January, 2012, Butkus followed a 39-year-old woman he and his friends met in a kebab shop after a night out.

When she got home she invited Butkus in for a drink but then found her daughter's moneybox had been smashed and him in her bedroom.

He demanded sex and when she refused, he beat her repeatedly and raped her before fleeing the scene with two other men. 

Three weeks later Butkus was armed with a kitchen knife, looking for a victim when he spotted a 21-year-old Liverpool John Moores university student walking in the city centre. 

He stalked her for half an hour before tricked his way into her accommodation block then grabbing her at knife-point as she walked up a stairwell.

Butkus demanded money but his victim only had two pounds in her purse. He then led her into a basement of the student flats and raped her twice.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the victim split up from her long term boyfriend because she was so traumatised from her ordeal.

Butkus was caught after a police officer spotted him on CCTV footage in the run up to the second attack and examined footage from other case which showed him in an off-licence near to where the first attack took place.

 VIDEO  Butkus was tracked on CCTV tracking women through Liverpool 

He was tracked down by police using a description of his distinctive hairline, scar on his neck and very distinctive black jacket with red markings.

In interview, Butkus denied all knowledge of either attack. But when confronted with forensic evidence, he claimed in the first incident sex had been consensual and he could not remember the second because he had been on drugs.

Butkus must serve a minimum nine years in jail before being considered for parole and faces deportation upon his release.

Passing sentence Judge Dennis Watson, QC, told him: 'These were life scarring experiences for both women and they will suffer long into the future. These are pitiless and wicked crimes on vulnerable women.'

After the case the the first victim said: 'For weeks afterwards, I couldn't even walk to the corner shop.
'I lost all of my confidence. It affected me so badly. 

'Now I am trying to rebuild my life and not let him ruin the rest of it.

'I'm so much more aware of my surroundings and the people around me. I used to be carefree and one of the first on the dance floor on nights out. I'm not like that any more.

This has changed me as a person. Anyone who does such a terrible thing deserves to be locked away.

The younger victim who wants to join the police said: 'I'm not saying what happened to me wasn't terrible. But you have to carry on living your life.

'I moved to Liverpool to go to university and it was always my plan to stay here and live here for good. 

'After I was attacked, I moved back home for a couple of weeks. My parents wanted me to stay at home and not come back, but when I heard the police had caught him after just two days, I was relieved.

'I decided I would go back and carry on with university and with the life I had originally planned. I didn't see why he should take that away from me.

'As strange as it sounds, I have met so many amazing people in the police because of what happened to me, it almost feels like a silver lining. I'm just delighted to see him get what he deserves.'

Det Insp Debbie Tipton, of Merseyside Police who led the investigation, said: 'The bravery shown by these two women enabled us to find this dangerous man and take him off the streets.'