Convicted Paedophile Ex-Paratrooper Back In Police Custody After High-Profile Manhunt

Picture: Ex-paratrooper Wayne Domeney. (Credit: SWNS)

An ex-paratrooper, who served alongside Prince Harry, is back in police custody after two weeks on the run following his conviction for child rape.

Wayne Domeney, 51, who also trained Prince William, was to be sentenced for a string of sex offences spanning a four-year period when he went on the run earlier this month.

The former soldier, of Consett, County Durham, was remanded at a police station in Basingstoke last Friday night after an arrest warrant was issued.

Domeney was found guilty of 13 offences at Birmingham Crown Court on February 2 after his trial went ahead without him in his absence.

He had been on bail but failed to turn up for the hearing and was thought to have fled to the North East of England where he has family.

Domeney, also known as Wayne Rackham, was convicted of four counts of rape on a young girl and three counts of assaulting a girl by penetration.

He was also found guilty of three counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of intimidating a witness.

On Monday, Domeney, wearing a grey tracksuit and sporting a beard, appeared at Warwick Crown Court.

Recorder Anupama Thompson remanded him into custody and told him he would be transferred to Birmingham Crown Court for sentencing at a later date.

She told him: “You are going to be remanded in custody to appear before Judge Montgomery, who dealt with your trial in your absence.

“She will also deal with any matters with regard to your failure to attend your trial.”

Martin Groves, defending, said:

“He says he gave himself up at Basingstoke police station of Friday.

"He will now need to go before Judge Montgomery at Birmingham Crown Court.”

During a career spanning almost 25 years, Domeney served with 2 Para, took Princess Diana on a tour of Bosnian minefields and also met and was pictured with Prince Charles.

Domeney signed up to the Army in 1985 and became a Warrant Officer Sergeant Major, touring Iraq and Afghanistan as well as serving in Northern Ireland.

He met Prince Charles during a Colours Parade and boasted that he “always remembered me” and drank pints of Guinness with him.

In an interview last September, Domeney said: “He knew I was the boxing champ. I said, ‘We’ve got two pints of Guinness, will you toast the regiment?’ So he stayed for a few pints.

“We were joking about his posh voice so he put on a cockney accent. He was having a good time. I met him after at events and he always remembered me.”