Laurence Dollimore
A SCOTTISH fugitive wanted for sex crimes in the UK has been arrested while using an outdoor gym on the Costa del Sol.
James Clacher, 55, was dramatically cuffed by plain-clothed Guardia Civil officers in Nerja on May 21. The video footage of his detention was not released until today.
The clip shows the muscular and tattooed suspect using free gym equipment on a beach before being pulled to the ground by multiple agents posing as tourists.
He is accused of raping a woman and sexually assaulting another after meeting them on the dating app Tinder. He fled the UK in 2022.
Police Scotland found his car abandoned on the shore of a lake and later declared that he had fled the country.
The Brit was traced to Nerja by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), who received a tip off that he was hiding among the expat community in the Malaga town.
The force, often dubbed Britain’s FBI, contacted the Guardia Civil who launched an operation to track down the fugitive, who was known to love sports.
The Spanish force used this information to discover a Scotsman who was well integrated into the local sports community and matched the description of the suspect – although he was using a different name.
They began surveillance on the Brit and sent back images to the UK authorities, who confirmed his identity.
It was then that Spanish cops dramatically arrested him as he was performing pull ups on the beach.
The target was described as ‘dangerous’ by Scotland Police. He is being held in a Spanish prison before being extradited to the UK.
