Afghan Asylum Seeker Convicted of Sexual Assault in the UK

An Afghan man has been convicted of sexually assaulting two women while working illegally as a food delivery driver in the UK.

Shafiullah Rasooli, aged 29, was found guilty this month at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court for groping the women in July, utilizing a friend’s registration details for his food delivery job in Maidstone, Kent.

The prosecutor, Terry Knox, indicated that Rasooli was in the UK unlawfully and had overstayed his immigration status at the time of the incidents. Ironically, while his victims sought justice, the government has since denied Rasooli’s application to stay in the country.

Knox recounted that during the first delivery, Rasooli partially entered the victim’s home, asked personal questions about her age and relationship status, which seemed to unsettle her. The victim, feeling threatened, lied and said she was not alone as he handed her the food. But he proceeded to touch her inappropriately while smiling.

Addressing the second victim, Knox described a similar pattern where Rasooli made comments about his age, invaded her personal space, and tried to engage her in conversation about alcohol. After she declined his advances in a bid to get him to leave, he persisted and again assaulted her before entering her details into her phone.

This second victim expressed to the court the lasting impact of the assault on her sense of safety. Feeling paranoid, she installed security cameras and lights around her home, indicating a significant decline in her quality of life, including difficulties in maintaining her job due to sleepless nights filled with anxiety about Rasooli returning.

In a surprising defense, Rasooli dismissed the charges, arguing that “hugging sideways” is customary in his culture. At this point, the date for his sentencing hearing is still pending.