A FUGITIVE rapist who spiked a woman’s drink has been sentenced after a retrial.

Adem Gokgoz was found guilty of drugging the 21-year-old woman at a club then raping her in his flat in Eastbourne.

The 30-year-old former hairdresser was caught and bailed, but fled the country.

He was tried in his absence and found guilty in 2017, and faced an 11-year prison sentence.

But due to technical problems with Randox Laboratories, which did the forensic toxicology tests, the conviction was considered unsafe.

The Court of Appeal ordered a retrial.

Last week Gokgoz was found guilty in his absence by a jury once again at Lewes Crown Court.

Gokgoz, formerly of Terminus Road, Eastbourne, was resentenced to nine years in prison by Judge Christine Laing QC.

The rape happened on April 5, 2014.

While under investigation and on police bail he left the country to return to Turkey in May 2016, before he stood trial.

So he was tried in his absence before Judge Jeremy Gold QC and was found guilty on February 3, 2017.

Following that trial, Detective Constable Lisa Wells said: “Gokgoz and his victim had met at a club in the town earlier that night.

“Forensic examination showed that at some point while there, Gokgoz had clearly put some GHB (Gamma-hydroxybutyrate) in her drink.

“The level of GHB in her system 14 hours after administration – it is usually supposed to be excreted within 12 hours – meant it was either a supremely high dose or given over several hours to reach that peak.

“The victim gave evidence at the trial, and feels vindicated by the outcome.

“We believe Gokgoz, who is a naturalised UK citizen and also uses the name Adam Garcia, returned to his native Turkey in May 2016 while on court bail.”

The detective said there were efforts to trace Gokgoz, who still has business connections in Eastbourne.

But after the trial the National Police Chiefs Council showed there were potential problems from forensic toxicology reports made by Randox Laboratories.

The Gokgoz case was one of those affected and Sussex Police submitted a re-test for GHB.

Then in February this year the Court of Appeal ruled the conviction unsafe.

Judges also imposed a ban on media reporting until the conclusion of the case under the Contempt of Court Act.

It is understood that the toxicology report was not part of the new case, and the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, did not give evidence.

But the jury still convicted Gokgoz after a three-day retrial.