Police escapee Craig Goldstone guilty of Plymouth rape
A man who escaped from police custody while being questioned about a serious sexual assault has been found guilty of rape.
Craig Goldstone, 29, of no fixed address, was convicted of one count of rape at Plymouth Crown Court.
He escaped from Charles Cross Police Station in Plymouth on 7 July 2012 and was rearrested later that evening.
Goldstone, who has learning difficulties, is due to be sentenced on 13 September.
He was remanded in custody for psychiatric reports.
Goldstone dragged his victim into bushes in Devonport Park and attacked her, the jury was told.
The court heard the victim had been drunk at the time of the attack.
Goldstone had claimed they had consensual sex.
The jury returned a majority verdict when a unanimous decision could not be reached after more than five hours of deliberations.
Speaking after the verdict, the judge said it was "not easy" and a "challenging case" for them.
Goldstone, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, had admitted escaping police custody at an earlier hearing.
He managed to flee Plymouth's Charles Cross Police Station after being arrested.
At the time, Devon and Cornwall Police said it was conducting an investigation into how he escaped.
It was also referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which referred the matter back to the force.
A spokesman from the police said after the incident a full investigation by the force's Professional Standards Department had taken place.