An Afghan migrant who left a woman bleeding profusely after a vicious and unprovoked attack has died while serving a prison sentence. Gulwali Stanekzay, aged 22 at the time of the assault, targeted Aisha Waris, 23, in a series of brutal incidents as she walked home alone in Harlesden, north-west London, during February 2023.
Details of the Harrowing Assault
Stanekzay was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to the attack. It has now been revealed that the asylum seeker passed away at HMP Wandsworth on January 17, at the age of 25. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
A Terrifying Ordeal Unfolds
Ms Waris was returning home along Minet Avenue in Harlesden at approximately 7.30pm on February 26 when Stanekzay deliberately cycled into her and launched a relentless assault. He punched her repeatedly in the head and shoulders for about a minute before riding away. Shocked and disoriented, she continued her journey, only to see him approaching her menacingly once more.
Stanekzay attacked her again, forcing Ms Waris to shield her face and flee towards a neighbour's residence. She begged him to stop, but he ignored her pleas and initiated a third savage onslaught. Once inside the property, she wiped blood from her nose and lip.
Criminal Damage and Previous Convictions
After Ms Waris escaped into the house, Stanekzay redirected his fury towards a parked Toyota Prius, inflicting £3,445 worth of damage. He then targeted the front door of neighbour Richard Jarman, delivering several flying kicks and using a bike lock to smash the Ring doorbell camera and a glass pane, causing over £4,000 in additional destruction.
Stanekzay, who arrived in Britain as an unaccompanied 16-year-old from Afghanistan in 2016, had been homeless and intermittently held in immigration centres at the time of the attack. In May 2023, he pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of criminal damage. He also admitted to breaching a suspended sentence order from a prior ABH conviction in December 2022, which had resulted in a 24-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months.
Impact on the Victim and Legal Proceedings
The horrifying incident was captured on Mr Jarman's Ring doorbell camera, which recorded Ms Waris whimpering in fear and pleading for Stanekzay to cease his aggression. Footage played in Harrow Crown Court showed her screaming "No" as he pursued her onto the property, raining blows on her head and face.
Ms Waris sustained a bruised lip, swollen nose, and extensive red marks and bruising on her chest, shoulders, and face. Her father, Abdullah Khan, who rushed to the scene after being alerted by a friend on the phone with Ms Waris, also suffered injuries, including a black eye and a broken tooth, when Stanekzay attacked him outside the house.
Victim's Emotional Testimony
In a victim impact statement, Ms Waris described the profound psychological toll of the attack. "This incident has caused me a lot of distress and had an impact on my emotions and my mental health," she stated. "I feel anxious and stressed. I have recently lost my mum and this incident has added to my anxiety and sadness. I also am wary about going out of the house."
She further explained, "I used to love going out by myself, for example, going for walks, and was independent; however, this attack has taken my independence away from me."
Sentencing and Aftermath
Judge Maya Sikand, sentencing Stanekzay for what she termed a "wholly unprovoked" attack, remarked that watching the footage was "upsetting and frightening" and portrayed the defendant in "a very ugly light." Stanekzay was given two-and-a-half years for the assaults and an additional 24 weeks for breaching his suspended sentence, totalling three years in prison.
Through his barrister, Stanekzay issued "reserved apologies" to the victims. The investigation into his death at HMP Wandsworth continues, as authorities seek to determine the exact circumstances leading to this tragic conclusion.
