MAN WHO SEXUALLY ASSAULTED TEENAGE GIRL IN ALLEYWAY JAILED FOR SIX YEARS
Ziaullhaq Safi, aged 37, received a unanimous conviction from a jury at Sligo Circuit Criminal Court, found guilty of sexual assault.An Afghan former teacher who attacked a defenseless teenage girl in Sligo, luring her into a dark alley, was sentenced to six years in prison.
The incident involved him overpowering her and committing a sexual assault after she was coaxed into the secluded spot.
Safi, who resides at Market Yard in Sligo and is a father of five, appeared before Judge Roderick Maguire in Mullingar for sentencing.
The court proceedings revealed that the girl, then 16, was met by Safi after a day out drinking with friends.
She and her companion went to a takeaway where Safi, employed there, beckoned them into an alley.
The jury heard how Safi took them behind a locked door, where he forcibly assaulted the girl, kissing her against her will, removing her top, and sucking her nipples.
Despite her protests and pleas for him to stop, Safi exposed himself, attempted anal penetration, and ejaculated during the assault.
The victim was described as scared, panicked, and nervous, fearing her life was at risk.
After the attack, Safi returned her to his workplace, handed her a pizza, and winked at her.
The prosecution argued that, aside from the assault, he offered her food as a form of compensation.
The girl’s friend was present during the attack, which lasted approximately eight minutes.
A victim impact statement read aloud by Detective Garda Kieran Higgins detailed how the young woman, now 19, struggled with her self-image, suffering flashbacks, nightmares, and suicidal thoughts.
The court emphasised her ongoing process of recovery.
Gardaí conducted a detailed interview with the vulnerable girl, who had grown up in care.
Evidence included testimony from 13 witnesses and CCTV footage.
It was also disclosed that Safi, who previously taught children in Afghanistan, fled his homeland due to Taliban persecution, which resulted in his father being shot and their home burned.
He left behind his wife and children but later reunited with them.
Safi, who does not speak English and used an interpreter during the trial, showed no visible emotion as he was sentenced.
He has been in custody since the jury found him guilty on March 13.
Though he had no prior convictions and a solid employment history since arriving in Ireland, the judge highlighted the violent and invasive nature of the crime.
While the offense was not premeditated, it involved significant vulnerability, given the girl’s age and intoxication, which the judge believed amplified her helplessness.
In addition to the six-year sentence for sexual assault, Safi received a concurrent sentence of four years and three months for another related charge.
The judge remarked on the fact that the girl was served alcohol at three licensed venues and urged Gardaí to consider this when licensing renewal decisions are made.
