Jerusalem  - Israeli police have nabbed a convicted US paedophile who had been fleeing from justice in America, police said Wednesday.

Donals Nelson, 59, had fled the US while free on bail and as his trial was taking place.

He was sentenced in absentia to 110 years in prison on 52 charges of child molestation, Police Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told the German Press Agency dpa.

The US Justice Department had submitted a request to track him down to Interpol, which in turn had approached the Israeli authorities after receiving information the convict was in Israel.

A special Israeli police unit found him in a hostel within the walled Old City of Jerusalem on Tuesday morning. He had grown his hair and beard to hide his identity, police said.

They found his US passport in his room, which showed he had entered Israel in January on a three-month tourist visa, and stayed behind illegally after his visa expired.

Nelson was handed over to the Interior Ministry which would start extradition proceedings, Rosenfeld said.(dpa)