A 26-year-old Syrian asylum seeker has avoided immediate jail despite being convicted of sexually assaulting three women in Horley earlier this year.
Qais Al-Aswad appeared at Staines Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, receiving a six-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years.
District Judge Julie Cooper acknowledged during sentencing that the victims had suffered psychological trauma as a result of the attacks.
"I accept that these ladies have suffered psychological harm," the judge stated.
Qais Al-Aswad was slapped with a bike ban
|SURREY POLICE
The assaults took place in May and June while Al-Aswad was staying at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Horley.
His conviction in August sparked a strong public reaction, with around 200 anti-immigration demonstrators gathering outside his accommodation.
The court heard how Al-Aswad targeted his victims while cycling through Horley. One woman described how he grabbed her pelvis while she was shopping.
After she swore at him following the assault, he reportedly blew her a kiss.
“What upsets me the most about this whole incident is how an individual who himself claims to be seeking safety and happiness feels he has the right to remove those same things from myself and other women,” she told the court.
Another victim recounted being grabbed on her bottom by Al-Aswad.
After she swore at him following the assault, he reportedly blew her a kiss
|SURREY POLICE
The defendant, who required an Arabic interpreter throughout the proceedings, offered explanations that were met with visible scepticism from the two victims present in the public gallery.
Al-Aswad claimed he was "unaware of British laws" regarding physical contact and blamed defective brakes on his bicycle for the incidents.
He argued he had touched the women while attempting to manoeuvre around them to avoid a collision.
The victims shook their heads as the judge relayed these claims.
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The court was told Al-Aswad had escaped Syria in 2018 following the bombing of his residence and entered Britain from Turkey in 2024.
The sentence included 40 days of rehabilitation activities and 200 hours of community service. Al-Aswad must wear an electronic monitoring tag continuously as part of a sexual harm prevention order.
The court imposed strict conditions on his use of any bicycle or scooter in public spaces, including parks.
He is prohibited from riding such vehicles unless they are equipped with GPS tracking capabilities that can record his location and route continuously.