Man sentenced after sexually assaulting woman in Cheltenham
The court heard how the attack has had a lasting impact on the victims' life and confidence
A 20-year-old man who sexually assaulted a woman in Cheltenham last year has been sentenced.
Abdolrahman Banafsha, who was 19 at the time he committed the offences, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday 5 November.
The court was told he specifically targeted a particularly vulnerable woman who had been walking home from a night out in Cheltenham in the early hours of 31 August 2024.
During the first day of his trial, the court heard how Banafsha walked past the victim, who was aged 18 at the time, and then he turned around and followed her at a distance.
Banafsha then got hold of the woman after she fell over in a side street and he picked her up off the floor.
They then walked by a nearby pub and the woman asked if she could gain entry to use their toilets, however she was told she was not allowed in as the pub was shut.
Banafsha then took the victim away by the arm and he escorted her back towards the address where he had been staying.
The court was told she had tried to walk away but his grip was tight, and she said she had a boyfriend and needed to go home.
Once inside the address, she used the bathroom and tried to plan her exit, however Banafsha pushed her to the ground and sexually assaulted her.
The victim screamed and kicked him off, and she was then captured on CCTV fleeing from the address while screaming.
Banafsha was arrested by police later that day and he has been in custody since then.
Following an investigation by Gloucestershire Constabulary's Criminal Investigation Department, Banafsha was charged with attempted rape and his trial started on 22 September this year.
During the first day of his trial, the CCTV was played to the court along with a video interview police had conducted with the victim.
He then entered guilty pleas the next day for two counts of sexual assault and this was accepted by the Crown, victim and the police.
One count of sexual assault related to Banafsha touching the woman's breasts under her clothing. The second count of sexual assault related to him touching the woman between her legs and over clothing.
In a statement written by the victim, which was read to the court, she said: "I never thought I'd be in a situation where I'd have to prepare myself for the worst possible scenario, having to think of how I can get out of this, will I make it out alive?
"The fear and anxiety running through my body. I couldn't breathe. Thankfully that fear gave me the strength to push you off my body, it gave me the courage to get out. I told myself no, I will not let this get worse.
"I had to change my whole life. The way I walked, I stopped going out, I only go out with my boyfriend, I don't drink unless it's in my own home. I used to go out all the time, I had a good social life with friends, but all I do now is stay in.
"I dyed my hair, started going to the gym, I got more tattoos. I completely changed myself because I refuse to look like the same girl you assaulted.
"I still don't understand why you chose to do this to me, I will never understand. To you I'm just another face, but to me, I will remember your face for the rest of my life."
The court heard how the probation service thought Banafsha was a high risk of harm to the public, particularly to females.
In mitigation, Banafsha's defence barrister said that he had changed his mind and pleaded guilty having watched the CCTV again. He said it was a pity that the victim did not alert the woman she spoke to at the pub when asking to use their toilets.
The court was told that Banafsha was an asylum seeker from Iran who had travelled to the UK by a small boat in March 2024 as he believed his life was at risk.
He had been living in Home Office accommodation outside of Gloucestershire, and had travelled to Cheltenham for the weekend to stay with a friend.
Sentencing Banafsha, His Honour Judge Julian Lambert said: "The only thing to be said in your favour in respect of the plea, is the complainant did not have to endure cross examination, but she had to endure a great deal on the night in question, and waiting for trial.
"This was an utterly terrifying ordeal and victim impact is most profound. People often simply can't put something like this behind them.
"Assessing culpability, I note an element of predatory about you. I found that from the way in which you were stalking the streets and your persistence with your victim."
Judge Lambert sentenced Banafsha to 27 months in a young offender's institution for both counts, to run concurrently. He will also be placed on the Sex Offender's Register for 10 years and must notify police of his address during this time.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Helen Goode said: "Banafsha targeted the woman in this case and after subjecting her to a horrible ordeal, he then denied any wrong doing.
"This was until the evidence was presented in court, and he had no real choice but to change his plea after seeing footage again of her fleeing in fear from that address.
"The victim in this case spoke to pub staff, while Banafsha held her by the arm, and she asked to use their toilets.
"We know some pubs and clubs in the county run the 'Ask for Angela' scheme, where someone who is in need of help can ask for assistance from bar staff.
"But people who need help won't always know about this scheme, or be in a position to openly ask for it, and so we encourage those working in the night-time economy to please also look out for this type of perpetrator behaviour in order to help prevent crimes like this from being committed.
"The victim has been so brave throughout this entire process, and I thank her for working with us.
"Everyone should be able to go about their daily lives without being targeted by perpetrators who want to commit crimes for their own sexual gratification."
A Home Office spokesperson said: "Any foreign national convicted of a criminal offence is immediately referred to the Home Office for deportation. Under the UK Borders Act 2007, a deportation order must be made where a foreign national has been convicted of an offence and received a custodial sentence of 12 months or more."