An Oxford University law student who battered a woman has been found guilty of assault.
20-year-old Abdulrahman Abdelsalam was accused of groping 29-year-old Jeanne Marie Ryan while she was dancing with friends at the Plush Lounge, an Oxford nightclub. The jury at Oxford Crown Court were told that when Abdelsalam ignored Ryan's pleas to leave her alone, she poured a drink over his head. Abdelsalam punched her repeatedly in the face, breaking her nose.
After the attack Ryan told the Oxford Mail that Abdelsalam, who studies law at Lady Margarets Hall, told her to smile as he groped her, “expecting me to back down and cry". When she didn't, "he just got more and more angry". Ryan posted a picture of herself on social media after the attack, raising £3,000 for the Oxford Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre.
In his defence, the law student claimed that Ryan lunged at him with a bottle and that he punched her three times in the face in self-defence. He was acquitted of sexual assualt, but the jury unanimously convicted him of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Judge Patrick Eccles told Abdelsalam he could face jail for the “serious assault”.
Abdelsalam was helped into Oxford by The Brilliant Club, a charity which seeks to widen access to top universities for outstanding students from non-selective schools. Understandably, it has now wiped references to Abdelsalam from its website.
Tip Off ROF
20-year-old Abdulrahman Abdelsalam was accused of groping 29-year-old Jeanne Marie Ryan while she was dancing with friends at the Plush Lounge, an Oxford nightclub. The jury at Oxford Crown Court were told that when Abdelsalam ignored Ryan's pleas to leave her alone, she poured a drink over his head. Abdelsalam punched her repeatedly in the face, breaking her nose.
After the attack Ryan told the Oxford Mail that Abdelsalam, who studies law at Lady Margarets Hall, told her to smile as he groped her, “expecting me to back down and cry". When she didn't, "he just got more and more angry". Ryan posted a picture of herself on social media after the attack, raising £3,000 for the Oxford Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre.
Abdelsalam and his victim |
In his defence, the law student claimed that Ryan lunged at him with a bottle and that he punched her three times in the face in self-defence. He was acquitted of sexual assualt, but the jury unanimously convicted him of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Judge Patrick Eccles told Abdelsalam he could face jail for the “serious assault”.
Abdelsalam was helped into Oxford by The Brilliant Club, a charity which seeks to widen access to top universities for outstanding students from non-selective schools. Understandably, it has now wiped references to Abdelsalam from its website.
Comments
24
18
20
15
"Her attacker is described as being about 5ft 7in tall"
Explains everything
20
19
23
15
To add some balance following your comment, it's probably worth pointing out that not all short men go around beating up women in nightclubs...
14
12
15
19
19
19
18
19
At 5ft 9in I thought it was as pretty respectable
Most of the best scrum halves I've met have been around the 5ft 6 mark
Anyway regardless of size if you're a shit who thinks it's ok to hit the women, you'll be a shit for the rest of your pathetic little life
19
18
16
18
21
18
19
23
15.31 You must lead a sheltered life. In the real world women have moved on from being the dainty little things in need of your manly protection.
17
21
22
15
25
14
Race, height, class, what school the attacker went to... none of this is relevant. He repeatedly punched a woman in the face, breaking her nose - these are the only relevant facts. the idea that it was the woman who "initiated the assault" is laughable, are we supposed to believe she pleaded t be left alone and tnen threw a drink over him for no reason?