A 30-year-old Afghan national stands accused of a series of sexual assaults on women in Southampton, alongside a charge of entering the United Kingdom illegally.
Details of the Alleged Assaults
Sohail Amiri, of Highfield Lane in Southampton, is scheduled to appear at Southampton Magistrates' Court following the allegations. The charges stem from three separate incidents reported to the police. The first occurred in the early hours of Tuesday on Shaftesbury Avenue, where it is alleged that Amiri approached a woman just after midnight and tried to kiss her.
He also faces two additional counts of sexual assault connected to events on September 23. On that day, he is accused of approaching two women on Westwood Road and making inappropriate comments towards them.
Additional Charge of Illegal Entry
Beyond the assault charges, Amiri has been accused of entering the country without permission. This charge falls under Section 24 of the Immigration Act 1971. The case has drawn attention to the Highfield House Hotel in Southampton, a location said to house asylum seekers which has been the focus of several anti-immigration protests in recent months.
Police Statement and Community Context
A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary confirmed the charges, stating: "Officers investigating three reports of sexual assaults on women in Portswood and Bevois have charged a man. The charges follow an incident which occurred in Upper Shaftesbury Avenue in the early hours of Tuesday."
The situation has unfolded against a backdrop of local tension, with both anti-immigration protests and counter-protests taking place in Southampton on October 26, 2025.
