Convicted rapist Nicholas Johnson travelled to Australia

Nicholas Johnson, 59, was convicted of rape in March 2003 and was sentenced to five-and-a-half years imprisonment.

He proceeded to move to Corfu in mid-2007 after serving part of his sentence, before going on to live in Denmark and Australia and returning back to the UK in 2016.

Ipswich Crown Court heard as a registered sex offender, Johnson was obliged to keep police officers informed of any new addresses he lived at but for the nine years he was abroad, he didn’t.

New life - Johnson lived in Australia for nine years (Image: Pixabay)

Michael Crimp, prosecuting, said once he moved back to the UK, the defendant, who works for a freight company, lived at a pub in north Essex and used his lorry “as a hotel room”.

Johnson, of no fixed abode, admitted four counts of failing to comply with notification requirements.

Judge Emma Peters said Johnson caused a “real risk” during his time off the grid and slapped him with a 16 month suspended prison sentence.

Johnson told the court he now plans to move to Coggeshall while carrying out 120 hours of unpaid work and rehabilitation sessions in and around Colchester.

New home - Johnson said he plans to move to Coggeshall (Image: Jayne Kirkby)

Fred Batstone, mitigating, said his client admitted “his forgetfulness, his ignorance, is not a defence.”

Mr Batstone revealed Johnson plans to move to Thailand to reconvene with his three-year-old daughter and partner, who he intends to marry.

“Because of his actions and his naivety he has lost a very good job. His daughter is in bits, in his words,” said the barrister.

“This is not an offence committed in order to deceive anyone.

Sentence - Johnson appeared before Ipswich Crown Court

“Living in Australia was a time in which he rebuilt his life, naively forgetting about those requirements.”

Judge Peters said Johnson remains on the Sex Offenders Register and must continue to comply with his obligations.

“These obligations are crucial because those who offend in as serious a way as you did are monitored to protect children and other victims of sexual offending.”