ESMAIL HUSSANI RAPES TEENAGER IN BIRKENHEAD CAR PARK AFTER NIGHTCLUB MEET

In December 2019, a disturbing incident unfolded in Birkenhead involving a teenage girl who was subjected to a brutal sexual assault in a deserted car park. The assault occurred after she had sought help from a man she believed to be a familiar acquaintance. The perpetrator, Esmail Hussaini, claimed that the encounter was consensual, asserting that the girl was a willing participant. However, the jury did not accept his version of events and found him guilty of rape, leading to his sentencing to eight and a half years in prison.

The incident took place on the early hours of October 29, 2017, outside Sherlock’s nightclub in Birkenhead. The victim, then 17 years old, had been out with a friend that evening. Her friend left her at the club, leaving her with limited funds and a dead mobile phone battery. The court heard that she was under the influence of alcohol at the time, which impaired her judgment and mobility.

According to court proceedings, Hussaini, a barber by profession, was an acquaintance of the girl. She initially believed that he was going to help her by either arranging a taxi or taking her to his residence, where he lived with his girlfriend. The plan was for her to charge her phone and call her boyfriend to pick her up. Instead, Hussaini led her into a dark, secluded car park located behind Conway Park railway station. As she struggled to walk on the uneven surface, she repeatedly fell, and each time, Hussaini helped her back to her feet.

Tragically, it was in this isolated setting that Hussaini committed the assault. The judge, Louise Brandon, described how Hussaini deliberately maneuvered the girl into a remote part of the wasteland, which was used as a car park, and proceeded to rape her despite her protests. The court emphasized that the girl clearly told him she did not want to engage in sexual activity, but Hussaini ignored her objections and continued.

Judge Brandon stated, “She sought to stop you and told you she did not want sex with you but you ignored her clear and obvious protestations.” She further explained that after the assault, Hussaini called a taxi for her and sent her home. Meanwhile, he began fabricating lies to explain his actions to his girlfriend and later to the police. The judge highlighted that Hussaini falsely claimed that the girl had instigated the activity and instructed him to lie, but the jury found that Hussaini was the only one lying during the trial.

During the proceedings, it was revealed that Hussaini attempted to conceal evidence by washing his clothes, which were stained with mud. Police recovered these items, and his girlfriend confirmed details about his clothing and trainers that night. Initially, Hussaini denied having any sexual contact with the girl, who is now 19. However, after forensic swabs confirmed sexual activity, he changed his account, claiming that the girl had willingly initiated the encounter.

Hussaini, residing on Birchwood Avenue in Birkenhead, was convicted unanimously of raping the girl. In her sentencing, Judge Brandon ordered him to register as a sex offender for life. The victim’s impact statement was read aloud in court, revealing that “the last two years have been torture” for her. The case also drew attention to Hussaini’s background; his defense lawyer, Geoffrey Lowe, explained that Hussaini is an Iranian Kurd who fled his home country due to prevailing circumstances there. He was granted asylum and allowed to stay in the UK for five years, with an application for permanent residence currently pending, which will be decided by the Home Office after his release from prison.