A SEX offender who fled from Bradford to the other side of the world to evade jail was caught after police traced him to Australia through his boastful posts of his new life on Facebook.

Steven Allison, 37, disappeared before he was due to be sentenced for sexual assault and battery following a drunken confrontation with two women victims in a pub.

But more than a year later he has finally put on an aircraft for the journey back to the UK to serve his 30 month sentence after an investigation involving West Yorkshire officers, Interpol and the Australian authorities, police said last night.

Allison, who lived in New Street, Idle, was due to be sentenced in February last year but failed to turn up at the hearing and was given a 30 month sentence in his absence.

Detectives became aware he had fled to Sydney, where he found work as a labourer and handyman, because he posted details about himself and his new life on his Facebook page using the name Steven Stig Allison.

Officers were then able to trace him to Canberra where he had most recently been living and following investigations by Australian law enforcement officers he was tracked down and held in a detention centre while arrangements were made to return him to West Yorkshire.

However, he made an escape bid from there by feigning an arm injury and trying to flee when he was taken for medical treatment.

That escape bid failed, however, and he has now been flown back to the UK accompanied by three Australian security officials.

He is expected to make an appearance at court before being transferred to prison to serve his sentence.

Detective Inspector Ben McDonald, of the Bradford District Safeguarding Unit, said: "It was clear that Allison felt he could cheat justice by fleeing the country and escaping to Australia.

"However, the police will always pursue those wanted for serious crimes such as this, regardless of where they are in the world."

The incident which landed Allison in trouble was a confrontation with two women while he was out drinking at a pub in Yeadon, Leeds, with another man.

Allison was said to be drunk and made advances towards one of the women, which were resisted.

As the two women later tried to leave the pub, one was assaulted by Allison who groped her.

Her friend threw a drink over Allison in retaliation and he punched both women to the ground as a result.