Courts / Meath / Report

Afghani man jailed for Luas sex attack

Date
2021-01-19

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Julianstown

County
Meath

Summary

An Afghani man, Abdullah Shinwari, aged 31, was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a young woman on a Luas tram on 26 September 2019. Shinwari stood behind the victim, rubbed his penis against her lower back and ejaculated on her clothes. The victim described feeling "frozen" and later cleaning her clothes in a toilet, experiencing physical illness and vomiting. She reported the incident to Gardaí the next day and later identified Shinwari on a platform, leading to his arrest. DNA evidence linked Shinwari to the victim's stained clothing. Shinwari pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑year sentence, suspending the final 15 months on strict conditions, including compliance with the Probation Service for 15 months post‑release. The sentence was reduced due to Shinwari's status as an Afghani national and the challenges of custody during Covid times.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Afghani man jailed for Luas sex attack. Charges or matters: sexual assaulting the young woman on the Dublin city centre tram on September 26, 2019. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

September 26, 2019 Incident
October 2018 Other
2021-01-19 Publication

Why: He said the sentence would have been longer but for the fact that custody will be more difficult for Shinwari as an Afghani national and because he will likely be facing 23 hour lock-up as "we live in Covid times". CNI source report

Case subjects

Abdullah Shinwari

Defendant

Charges: sexual assaulting the young woman on the Dublin city centre tram on September 26, 2019 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Nolan sentenced Shinwari to two years imprisonment, but suspended the final 15 months on strict conditions including that he follow all directions of the Probation Service for 15 months post release. He said the sentence would have been longer but for the fact that custody will be more difficult for Shinwari as an Afghani national and because he will likely be facing 23 hour lock-up as "we live in Covid times".; After hearing evidence last month, Judge Nolan had adjourned the case for finalisation to allow a psychological report be prepared.