Copyright walesonline
Chilling CCTV footage has captured the moment an asylum seeker followed his victim through the streets of Cardiff city centre moments before he strangled and sexually assaulted her. Fawaz Alsamaou targeted his victim before strangling and sexually assaulting her underneath a city centre bridge on May 12, 2024, a sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court heard on Friday. In the footage shared by South Wales Police Alsamaou, 33, is seen casually walking around Pulse nightclub in Cardiff, which is an LGBTQ+ venue, wearing a gilet, a white t-shirt and jeans. He is captured looking around the club near the entrance and cloak room before entering the busy dancefloor. Further footage from the force then shows the woman leaving the club later before the defendant, unknown to her, quickly follows her. He is then seen walking very closely to her while she walks quickly from the city centre towards the Cathays area. Never miss a Cardiff story by signing up to our daily newsletter here Newport Crown Court heard that the defendant followed his victim to the railway bridge near Salisbury Road where he grabbed her neck and pulled her towards him. Under the bridge at around 4am Alsamaou then put his hand under her dress, grabbed her crotch and pulled it for seven seconds, the court heard. The woman bravely managed to push him away before running from the scene and contacting police. Enquiries were conducted and Alsamaou was identified as a suspect following a CCTV appeal for information on BBC Crimewatch. He was later tracked down to Huddersfield, where he was living having arrived in the UK from Syria, and he was arrested by officers from West Yorkshire Police. He admitted sexual assault and intentional strangulation. The assault has had a "lasting effect" the victim with her barely being able to sleep and having nightmares relating to the attack. Her victim impact statement, read in court by prosecutor Ms Tabitha Walker, reads: "I'm always looking over my shoulder and thinking the worst. At the start I couldn't work and I didn't leave my house for two weeks. I feel uneasy when it 's dark outside. "It has really affected my social life and I don't go out like I used to. I suffer with my mental health generally but this incident really hit that harder. "I can barely sleep and I have nightmares relating to it. I'm working to get over it but this isn't something you can just recover from. The impact has pulled me back from doing everyday things and stopped me going out with my friends." Alsamaou, of Swan Lake, Lockwood, Huddersfield, admitted sexual assault and intentional strangulation. He has no previous convictions in the UK. At a sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Friday Judge Celia Hughes sentenced him to 37 months in prison. She also told the attacker that he is "highly likely to be deported" after he serves his sentence. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here . We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice
