An Algerian migrant convicted of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in London received a suspended sentence, despite previous convictions and expired immigration status.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: An Algerian migrant who sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl in a London alleyway has been spared prison after receiving a suspended sentence. Sofiane Belasri, 41, approached the schoolgirl outside Liverpool Street Station in July 2024 while she was with a group of friends, later groping her breasts over her clothing after buying alcohol for the group. 📺 DETAIL: When the girl rejected him and said she was gay, Belasri allegedly made further sexual comments toward her friends and asked whether they would perform oral sex on him in exchange for vapes. He was arrested after one of the girls reported his behavior at Bishopsgate Police Station. Southwark Crown Court heard that Belasri, whose right to remain in Britain expired in 2017, had five previous convictions, and had failed to complete the unpaid work imposed following his last conviction. Despite being convicted of sexual assault and sexual touching, Belasri was sentenced to just two years in prison, suspended for two years, along with a ten-year prohibition on approaching females under 18 in public and ten years on the sex offenders register. Prosecutor Wajahat Sherwani said the victim remains cautious about going out in London at night, while the sentencing judge said Belasri had recognized that the girl was drunk and young and chose to take advantage of her. 🎯 IMPACT: The case is likely to fuel concerns over public safety, immigration enforcement, and soft sentences for migrant predators. |
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