Courts / Dublin / Report
Asylum seeker sexually assaulted woman five days after arrival
Summary
An asylum seeker, Adel Kerai, 26, was jailed for two years and three months after sexually assaulting a 22‑year‑old woman in Dublin's city centre. Kerai had arrived in Ireland five days earlier and, after following the woman for up to half an hour, forced his way into her personal space on Henry Street on 10 December 2023. He attempted to kiss her, touch her genital area under her clothes and press his erect penis against her. The victim tried to escape, but Kerai was too strong. The incident lasted 30 minutes, parts of which were captured on CCTV. Kerai, who has four prior convictions in the UK and is seeking asylum from Algeria, pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of four years, reduced to 27 months, and back‑dated it to the time of Kerai's arrest. The court noted the assault was uninvited and particularly frightening for the victim.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Asylum seeker sexually assaulted woman five days after arrival. Charges or matters: one count of sexually assaulting the woman on Henry Street on December 10, 2023. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- December 10, 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2024-07-16 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: one count of sexually assaulting the woman on Henry Street on December 10, 2023 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He set a headline sentence of four years and reduced it to 27 months, taking mitigating factors into account.
Places mentioned
- O'Connell Street
- Henry Street
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Henry Street
- Henry Street
Topics
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