For the purposes of this Act, a person is taken to have absconded if and only if –

(a) the person has been charged with a serious offence; and

(b) a warrant for the arrest of the person has been issued in relation to the offence; and

(c) reasonable attempts to locate the person pursuant to the warrant have been unsuccessful during the period of 6 months commencing on the day the warrant was issued –

and the person is taken to have so absconded on the last day of that period of 6 months.