Syrians jailed for raping woman, 18, in Winsford HMO
They'll both be on the Sex Offenders Register for life
Last updated 24th Jul 2026
Two Syrian nationals have each been jailed for 11 years after raping an 18-year-old woman at a HMO in Winsford.
Diyar Mohammed Abdulsalm, 28, and Dilgash Adil, 32, both of Ledward Street in Winsford, were sentenced at Chester Crown Court today (24 July).
Police were called at around 4.55am on 21 December 2025 after concerns were raised for the woman.
Officers found her near The Drumber in Winsford, where she told them she had been raped after meeting the two men on a night out and going back to their address.
The court heard how Adil plied the 18-year-old with drink until she was “falling down” drunk, and after carrying out a sex assault “invited” his friend Abdulsalm to also rape the teenager.
Sentencing
Abdulsalm, who claimed asylum in the UK in May 2023, with his immigration status still under assessment at the time of the offences, was found guilty of two counts of rape.
Adil, who was a shepherd in his native Syria before the civil war and was granted refugee status after coming to the UK in 2020, was convicted of one count of rape.
Both men will also be on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
Impact on the victim
In a victim impact statement, the woman told the court she no longer feels safe, suffers panic attacks, struggles to sleep and is anxious around strangers.
Judge Simon Berkson told the defendants, through a Kurdish interpreter: “It is quite clear you both took advantage of her vulnerable state.
“She was frankly in no fit state to consent to anything, in and out of consciousness.
“She was targeted, in my judgment, due to her vulnerability in that nightclub.”
Detective Chief Inspector Ian Murray said the pair had targeted a young woman who "could not consent due to intoxication".
He continued: “Despite their denials, the jury found them guilty and they have now been jailed for their crimes.
"Although the victim will never be able to forget what happened, I hope these sentences provide her with some closure, knowing that these men are behind bars and justice has been served."