POLICE have released the identity of a wanted sex offender on the run – less than 24 hours after refusing to give his name and photograph in the interest of protecting the victim.

A high-ranking officer from the North Yorkshire force had ordered the release of the name and photograph of the rapist who has been missing for 19 months.

Yuan Wei Zhang, who lived in London, is said to have used email to befriend a young woman from Scarborough before meeting her in the town in June 2007 and going on to rape her.

Zhang was arrested a few days later and was consequently charged with three counts of rape and brought before the courts.

He was given bail to attend York Crown Court for trial but the 26-year-old failed to attend his court hearing and was tried and sentenced in his absence in July 2008. A warrant was issued for his arrest. As the Press reported yesterday, North Yorkshire Police said they took the decision not to release his identity because they wanted to protect the victim from the distress of seeing her attacker’s face.

But Chief Inspector Kerrin Smith, head of North Yorkshire Police’s Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, said today: “Extensive inquiries have been ongoing since Zhang was sentenced in his absence after he failed to appear for trial at York Crown Court.

“Intelligence reports lead us to believe that he left the UK and therefore the investigation to locate him has concentrated in his home country of China with the assistance of Interpol and the UK Boarder Agency. It was for this reason that there was no investigative requirement to release the identity and photograph of the offender in the Yorkshire region and the UK.

“The victim has been kept up to date with the investigation and our attempts to trace him. She has since moved from the area.

“However, in the interests of reassuring people in North Yorkshire and the wider community, we feel there is no reason to withhold Zhang’s identity in this case. We would ask the public to notify the police if they have any information to Zhang’s whereabouts.

“I hope this clarifies the force’s position and we apologise for any confusion and concern that has been raised.”

If anyone has any information about the whereabouts of Yuan Wei Zhang they are asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247.

Alternatively Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.