A Syrian asylum seeker has been jailed for following a woman from a nightclub in Cardiff and strangling her before sexually assaulting her. Fawaz Alsamaou, 33, admitted sexual assault and intentional strangulation at Newport Crown Court.
The victim had been on a night out at Pulse nightclub, an LGBTQ+ venue, in the early hours of the morning. CCTV footage showed Alsamaou following her as she left the club at around 4am and pursued her to the Cathays student area. Under a railway bridge, he grabbed her by the neck, put his hand under her dress, and assaulted her for seven seconds before she pushed him away and ran to call police.
Prosecutor Tabitha Walker said the victim eventually pushed Alsamaou away before fleeing the scene. Police identified Alsamaou through CCTV and traced him 160 miles away to Yorkshire, where he had been living as an asylum seeker since arriving from Syria.
The victim described the lasting impact of the attack, saying she is 'always looking over my shoulder' and suffered from anxiety, nightmares, and an inability to work for weeks. She said: 'I didn't return to work for two or three months due to the anxiety of being in public.'
Judge Celia Hughes sentenced Alsamaou to 37 months in prison for sexual assault, noting he is 'highly likely to be deported' after serving his sentence. She described it as 'a horrible attack on a woman alone at night' and said his behaviour cast doubt on his claimed Muslim faith.
