A predatory refugee who sexually assaulted two girls whereas roaming the streets of a Scottish city ‘in search of a superb time’ has been jailed for 4 years.
Asylum seeker Muhammad Sheikhi ‘intentionally focused girls who have been alone and weak’ as they walked house after an evening out.
Along with the jail sentence, Sheikhi was positioned on the intercourse offenders register for all times, and made topic to a ten-year non-harassment order stopping him from approaching or contacting both of the ladies he attacked.
The 33-year-old appeared for sentence yesterday after being discovered responsible by a jury in Could of attacking his ‘terrified’ and ‘violated’ younger victims in Falkirk within the early hours of a Sunday.
Final evening, the daddy of 1 sufferer stated he blamed the UK Authorities and lack of border safety for the incidents.
He stated: ‘If the Authorities had carried out its job appropriately Sheikhi wouldn’t be on this county and this wouldn’t have occurred. He shouldn’t be on this nation – he’s unlawful.’
Each girls, who had been in numerous nightclubs, have been attacked individually inside little greater than an hour. CCTV footage confirmed him additionally approaching a 3rd, who went on her method unaccosted.
Sheikhi, a Syrian barber who got here to Britain on a small boat, denied any sexual contact, telling police: ‘Solely animals would do this publicly.’
Refugee Muhammad Sheikhi was jailed for 4 years after sexually assaulting two girls in Falkirk
CCTV footage launched by the Crown Workplace confirmed Sheikhi in Falkirk earlier than the assaults
Sheikhi, a barber from Syria, got here to the UK by boat
The incidents on November 30 final 12 months got here solely hours after main professional and anti-immigration demonstrations have been held across the city’s Cladhan Lodge.
Emotions have been infected after an asylum seeker from Afghanistan, Sadeq Nikzad, 29, was convicted in June 2025 of raping a 15-year-old woman in Falkirk city centre.
Sheikhi – who claimed he had confronted violence in Syria, been shot six occasions, and was a part of an anti-terror coalition within the nation – was being accommodated within the Cladhan by the House Workplace.
He sexually assaulted his first sufferer, aged 22, below a railway bridge as she walked again from the Maniqui nightclub which she’d left at 2.10am.
His second sufferer, aged 21, was focused within the city’s Bellsmeadow skatepark as she walked to a pal’s home from the city’s XOXO nightspot at 2.30am.
Stirling Sheriff Courtroom heard Sheikhi had been ‘roaming spherical’ the city centre for hours.
He was arrested in his room on the Cladhan at 6.25 the identical morning. By means of an Arabic interpreter, Sheikhi advised police he had been on the streets as a result of ‘I’m only a younger man like all people else who desires to have a superb time’.
Often called ‘Jan’, he had pleaded not responsible to each costs.
Advocate Paul Keenan, in mitigation, stated Sheikhi got here to the UK ‘searching for a safer life’. He had fled Syria and the ‘terrors of Isis’ who had murdered his sister, aunt, uncle and cousin. He had additionally been pressured to work in development on the age of simply 5.
Sheriff Keith O’Mahony, who learn impression statements from each victims earlier than saying sentence, advised Sheikhi the jury had been happy past affordable doubt that he was responsible. He stated: ‘On my evaluation these weren’t spontaneous or unintended acts. They have been deliberate, predatory sexual assaults dedicated towards strangers who had each proper to stroll house in security.
‘You handled these girls as if their autonomy, dignity, and bodily integrity counted for nothing.
The intercourse attacker lived on the Cladhan Lodge, which has been the scene of protests
The Cladhan has been the scene of professional and anti-immigration demonstrations
‘Such conduct is a profound violation of one other particular person’s freedom and safety. It causes concern, humiliation and had the potential to trigger lasting psychological hurt.’ Sheriff O’Mahony added: ‘I acknowledge in open court docket the braveness of the ladies in coming ahead and giving proof.’
Sheikhi shook and wept brazenly as he was led, handcuffed to a guard, to the cells. Sheikhi’s victims, who have been in court docket to listen to the sheriff reward them, declined to remark after the case.
Procurator fiscal Helen Nisbet stated: ‘Muhammad Sheikhi focused two younger girls who have been merely attempting to get house safely and subjected them to deeply distressing sexual assaults.
‘Their braveness in coming ahead has enabled him to be held accountable for his crimes.’
