A convicted child rapist escaped jail because of the overcrowding crisis in Britain's prisons, it emerged today - with a judge admitting that time behind bars would have been 'virtually inevitable' otherwise.

Rees Newman, 33, was handed a suspended sentence last December for the historic rape of a girl under the age of 14, in 2005.

Under the terms of his sentence he was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register and notify police if he went on holiday - but in May he jetted off to Egypt without telling officers.

Newman was hauled back before a judge at Newport Crown Court this week but – despite admitting breaching the terms of his sentence - he avoided prison a second time.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, the Recorder of Cardiff, jailed Newman for two months but suspended his imprisonment for 18 months.