WOMAN REPORTEDLY RAPED AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IN TOWN CENTRE
A woman was reportedly raped and sexually assaulted in two separate incidents, one involving an Oldham man, on the same night in Warrington town centre.Liverpool Crown Court heard that the rape suspect, Ashirat Ismail, failed to attend his hearing when required and is believed to be outside of the country, but the sex assault suspect has now been sentenced.
Ashirat Ismail pleaded not guilty to the charge of sexual assault, and the matter proceeded to a three-day trial, after which he was convicted by a jury.
The 32-year-old appeared back before Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday to be sentenced, where he was assisted by an Arabic interpreter.
The court heard from David Watson, prosecuting, that the offence dated back to the early hours of a morning in June 2023 in Warrington town centre.
The sexual assault was the second of two crimes alleged against the victim that evening or morning, with the first – not involving the defendant – being far more serious in nature.
At approximately 2am, the victim approached Ismail to ask him for a light, and the pair talked for a while.
It was heard that the victim has ‘little to no recollection’ of the incident, but it was captured on town centre CCTV cameras.
Mr Watson said that the victim ‘clearly displayed a level of extreme intoxication’ on the CCTV footage, but the defendant remained ‘persistent’ in his pursuit of sexual contact with her.
This involved him repeatedly kissing her to the face and neck, hugging her, and trying but failing to kiss her on the lips.
In an impact statement, the complainant explained that she has great trouble sleeping and eating, and that she ‘feels like a wreck all the time’.
“The incident happened on the main high street in the town centre, and if I get close, I feel like I want to run away or curl up in a ball and cry,” she said.
“This is yet another traumatic experience I have to live with and deal with for the rest of my life.
In mitigation, Paul Wood, defending, said that the clear issue in the case was the victim being too drunk to consent to what she was subjected to.
He also said that his client, who has no previous convictions or cautions in this country, did not specifically target the victim, as she was the one who approached him and made contact.
Mr Wood said that Ismail told him that his father, sister, and brother were kidnapped and killed by ISIS in Iraq in 2014, and that he was displaced to live in a camp for 10 years before coming to the UK.
It was said that the defendant has some insight and remorse, despite pleading not guilty, but that he needs ‘further education’.
It was also said that Ismail volunteers for two hours every Sunday with the Red Cross, and that he has done so for the past six months.
Before sentencing, Judge Sarah O’Brien said: “Any sexual assault is inherently degrading and distressing, and your actions that night very clearly added to and worsened the victim’s distress.
“You have heard that what happened that night is still affecting her now.
“The reality is that women and girls should be entitled to go about their business at night-time without the risk of people trying to take advantage of them.” However, she concluded: “Balancing all the factors, in my view, the seriousness of the offence crosses the community threshold, but it does not require a custodial sentence.
“The best way to address your risk and address future offending is through further education and work with the Probation Service.” Ismail, of Mellor Street in Oldham, was sentenced to an 18-month community order, including 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
He must also complete a 90-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement, and he was told that he must sign the sex offender register for the next five years.
