James Clacher: How a Staged Death and Spanish Escape Led to Justice

Justice Served After International Manhunt

A 57-year-old rapist who staged his own death and fled the UK has been brought to justice, having been found guilty of the violent rape of two women following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

The former gym boss disappeared in May 2022 while facing charges. He abandoned his Suzuki Swift at the Loch Long car park and picnic area in Argyll and Bute, leaving behind a suicide note in which he blamed his first victim, stating she “will never stop until I’m dead or I’m in prison.”

Life in Spain Under False Identity

Clacher was eventually located in the southern Spanish town of Nerja, where he had created a new life under the alias “Johnny Wilson.” He worked as a gardener at a residential complex, ran yoga classes on the beach, and was arrested by the Spanish Civil Guard while working out on a beach in the Costa del Sol town.

During his time in Spain, he was careful to hide his face from photographs while socializing with locals. He successfully deceived many people in the Spanish community, with one acquaintance describing him as “a complete fantasist.”

International Cooperation Leads to Capture

The successful capture and extradition of Clacher back to the UK in 2024 was the result of a joint investigation between Police Scotland, the National Crime Agency (NCA), and the Spanish Civil Guard’s elite central operative unit (UCO). During his trial in North Lanarkshire, Clacher denied any wrongdoing and claimed any sexual contact was consensual.

Clacher will be sentenced on 1 October. Detective Inspector Bruce Fyfe commented on the case, noting the “difficult to comprehend” distress and suffering Clacher caused his victims, while expressing hope that the conviction brings them some form of comfort.