DALTON HIPOLYTE CAPTURED IN CANADA: EXETER SEX OFFENDER FINALLY JAILED AFTER INTERNATIONAL MANHUNT
In August 2009, a significant breakthrough was achieved in the case of Dalton Hippolyte, a sex offender from Exeter who had been on the run for several years.Hippolyte, aged 26 at the time, was finally brought to justice after an extensive international manhunt that spanned multiple countries and involved numerous law enforcement agencies.
His crimes, which involved sexual offenses against two teenage girls in Exeter, had initially led to his arrest and subsequent bail, but he managed to evade justice by fleeing the country.
Hippolyte’s criminal activities came to light in 2006 when he was found to have engaged in sexual acts with two girls, both under the age of 16, during a social event in Exeter.
At the time, he was residing in the Redhills area of Exeter after marrying a local woman.
Despite being charged with multiple offenses, Hippolyte was released on bail, with the condition that he surrender his passport.
However, he failed to comply with this requirement, which allowed him to escape.
Detective Constable Tobie Carter of Exeter CID played a pivotal role in the investigation.
In April of the previous year, he arrested Hippolyte in Exeter when suspicions about his involvement surfaced.
The suspect was formally charged in July and released on bail again, but he did not attend his first court hearing in October, having jumped bail.
Further inquiries revealed that Hippolyte had not been using his mobile phone and was actively avoiding contact.
Through coordinated efforts with passport and immigration authorities, Detective Carter discovered that Hippolyte had fled to St.
Lucia.
From there, he traveled to Toronto, Canada, in September of the same year, claiming he was visiting to invest in vacation property.
The investigation then intensified, with Detective Carter and his team tracking Hippolyte’s movements across borders.
They eventually located him in Mississauga, Ontario, thanks to contacts within the Canadian police and Interpol.
Hippolyte’s arrest in Canada was executed in December, just days before his visa was set to expire.
Canadian police apprehended him at gunpoint in Toronto, effectively ending his flight from justice.
The arrest was the culmination of hundreds of hours of meticulous work by Exeter CID, who collaborated closely with international agencies, including Interpol, the UK’s Force Intelligence Bureau, and Canadian law enforcement.
Following his arrest, a team from Exeter CID, including Detective Constables Carter and Grant Leitch, along with police constables Chris Thomas and Johnny Adkins from the Devon and Cornwall police’s tactical aid group, traveled to Canada in March of the following year.
Their mission was to facilitate Hippolyte’s extradition.
The team worked alongside the Toronto Fugitive Squad and successfully transported Hippolyte back to Exeter, where he was remanded in custody to face trial.
During the extradition process, special precautions were taken to ensure Hippolyte’s secure transfer, including the use of specialist handcuffs and restraints.
The entire operation was a testament to the dedication and coordination of multiple agencies working across borders.
Detective Constable Carter expressed his satisfaction, stating, “We put hundreds of hours into finding Hippolyte.
But the real credit should be given to the witnesses in his trial, including his victims.
It couldn’t have been easy for them to give evidence, especially being cross-examined.” Hippolyte was ultimately convicted of four out of five charges related to sexual activity with minors and was sentenced to four years in prison at Exeter Crown Court.
Detective Carter also paid tribute to his colleagues, including Detective Constable Moira Hamilton, who interviewed the victims, and to all agencies involved, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in bringing offenders to justice.
The case stands as a stark reminder of the persistent efforts required to combat such crimes and protect vulnerable victims.
