🔴 Syrian Asylum Seeker Jailed for Cardiff Sex Attack Horror
Lone woman strangled & groped under dark Cardiff bridge by Syrian asylum seeker tracked via Crimewatch—now facing jail & deportation.
A Syrian asylum seeker has been jailed for more than three years after strangling and sexually assaulting a lone woman under a railway bridge in Cardiff.
Fawaz Alsamaou, 33, originally from Syria and latterly residing in Lockwood, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, admitted sexual assault and intentional strangulation at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday.
Judge Celia Hughes sentenced him to three years and one month for the sexual assault, with a concurrent term of 16 months for the strangulation offence.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Sunday, 12 May 2024, as the victim, then 23 and now 24, walked home from Pulse nightclub on Churchill Way.
Having left the venue at around 04:00 BST, she headed towards Cathays along Salisbury Road when she became aware of a man following closely behind.
Alsamaou, grabbed her by the neck, pulled her beneath the railway bridge near Senghenydd Hall, and placed his hand under her dress to carry out the assault.
Prosecutor Tabitha Walker told the court the woman fought back, pushing Alsamaou away before fleeing the scene and immediately contacting police.
Extensive investigations followed, including analysis of CCTV footage and a public appeal on BBC Crimewatch, which ultimately led detectives to identify Alsamaou as the suspect.
He was arrested in Huddersfield, where he had been living since arriving in the United Kingdom from Syria.
In her victim personal statement read to the court, the woman described ongoing distress from the incident.
She said the attack continued to affect her daily, leaving her constantly looking over her shoulder and assuming the worst in every situation.
She no longer felt safe walking alone, particularly after dark, and had avoided leaving her home for two weeks immediately afterwards.
The victim told the court she had been unable to work for two or three months due to anxiety about being in public, adding further stress to her life.
Her social life had suffered, with nightmares disrupting sleep and a general worsening of pre-existing mental health issues.
She emphasised the need for justice not only to gain personal closure but to prevent similar attacks on other women.
David Pinnell, defending the Syrian, noted that despite entering guilty pleas, Alsamaou maintained his innocence.
Pinnell confirmed the conviction would result in deportation.
Sentencing Alsamaou, Judge Celia Hughes described it as a horrible attack on a woman alone at night in Cardiff.
She stated the victim was entitled to walk home unmolested, without interference from Alsamaou, whom she labelled a predatory man.
The judge remarked:
“That his claim to be a practising Muslim was undermined by his actions that night.”
She added that the incident must have been petrifying for the victim and had caused lasting impact on her life.
Handing down the sentence of three years and one month, Judge Hughes told the Syrian asylum seeker that:
“He was highly likely to be deported upon completion of his term.”
Detective Sergeant Alex Lloyd of South Wales Police praised the victim’s bravery in reporting the matter and thanked BBC Crimewatch for its role in the investigation.
He stressed that everyone has the right to feel safe at any time, and that stranger attacks, though rare, prompt the force to deploy every available method to secure convictions.
South Wales Police reiterated commitment to treating victims with dignity and respect throughout the judicial process, hoping the outcome provided the closure sought by the woman.
