James Clacher, 57, was found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow of violently raping two women after a trial laid bare his desperate attempt to flee from justice
A rapist who faked his own death, vanished into the wilderness and survived on wild berries before fleeing abroad has finally been brought to justice.
James Clacher, 57, was found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow of violently raping two women after a trial laid bare his desperate attempt to flee authorities. The former gym boss vanished in May 2022 while facing the charges, sparking a major search operation.
Clacher abandoned his Suzuki Swift at the Loch Long car park and picnic area in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, leaving behind a suicide note designed to mislead police and his victims. In it, he pinned the blame on his first victim, writing chillingly that she “will never stop until I’m dead or I’m in prison.”
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He then hid in a remote woodland where he told police he lived off berries and puddle water. His disappearance sparked speculation that he had taken his own life, but in reality, Clacher was preparing a calculated escape to Spain.
A tip-off following a Police Scotland appeal led the force to pinpoint the fugitive’s location to the southern Spanish town of Nerja, where he would frequent the Time Sport gym.
Police passed the lead to Spanish authorities, and the hunt intensified. Six months later – and almost two years after he faked his own death – Clacher was tracked down to the Costa del Sol resort and arrested mid-workout. It was later revealed he had been going by the alias ‘Johnny Wilson’, and was said to have been in a relationship with a local woman.
Clacher was also employed as a gardener at a residential complex, earning extra money by running yoga classes on the beach. Dramatic footage caught the moment he was pinned to the sand and arrested by plain-clothes officers while exercising.
The clip was released by Spain’s Civil Guard, who revealed Clacher’s keep-fit obsession proved his downfall and led to his detention in Nerja, east of Malaga. Detective Constable Jamie Crossan, who travelled back with him to Scotland, said Clacher was “very friendly and chatty” on the flight home.
He described in detail how he had faked his own death, moved from Inverness down Scotland’s east coast, crossed into England, and hidden in a truck to reach France. From there, he said he cycled to Spain.
Clacher reportedly told police he befriended a local man who helped him secure work and housing, joined a gym, and even offered personal training. But he admitted becoming paranoid that his face was too well known. According to DC Crossan, Clacher revealed he had considered building a kayak to paddle across the sea and escape to Morocco.
During the trial, the court heard how Clacher raped his first victim at her home on August 24, 2019. The victim, while giving evidence, said she was attacked within 15 minutes of meeting him for the first time. The woman detailed how Clacher, who was her Tinder date, pushed her against a wall and brutally assaulted her before leading her upstairs while she was in a state of “shock”.
A second woman, who matched with Clacher on Bumble, said she was raped at her flat in Glasgow on September 4, 2020, after a trip to Irvine Beach in Ayrshire.