Shocking CCTV footage has emerged showing an asylum seeker violently attacking two women at a Scottish hotel while free on bail - yet walking away from court without a prison sentence in a decision that has sparked widespread outrage.
Ammar Alchalabi, 31, was captured on camera grabbing a female staff member by the throat and pushing her against a wall at the Muthu Newton Hotel in Aberdeen, which was housing asylum seekers. The disturbing incident occurred just days after he had been released on bail for sexually assaulting another woman at the same accommodation.
Violent Attacks While on Bail
The court heard how Alchalabi's reign of terror began when he sexually assaulted a 27-year-old woman at the hotel on January 7th. Despite being charged for this serious offence, he was granted bail and returned to the same accommodation where he launched his second attack.
"The accused grabbed her by the throat and pushed her against a wall," prosecutor Kylie Garrity told Aberdeen Sheriff Court regarding the February 2nd assault on a hotel employee. "She was extremely distressed and was crying."
Controversial Sentence Sparks Fury
In a decision that has drawn sharp criticism, Sheriff Graham Buchanan spared Alchalabi prison, instead imposing a supervised release order and requiring him to perform 150 hours of unpaid work. The lenient sentence came despite the violent nature of the attacks and the fact they occurred while the perpetrator was already facing charges.
Defence agent Liam Mclaughlan made the astonishing claim that his client had "struggled to come to terms with life in the UK" since arriving from Iraq, attempting to justify the violent behaviour.
System Failure Exposed
This case has raised serious questions about the handling of asylum seekers accused of violent crimes and the protection of women working in accommodation housing migrants. The decision to return Alchalabi to the same hotel after his initial arrest has been particularly scrutinised.
One hotel employee, who wished to remain anonymous, told reporters: "We feel completely unprotected. How can someone accused of sexual assault be sent back to live among us while awaiting trial?"
The case continues to generate heated debate about public safety, sentencing consistency, and the management of asylum accommodation across the UK.
