A Qatari camel herder, flown to the UK for medical treatment, sexually assaulted a woman after dragging her into a hospital toilet. Nasser Al-Gherainiq, 27, defended his sickening attack by claiming that he had “little interaction” with women in his home country due to his nomadic life in the desert.
The court heard how Al-Gherainiq was receiving treatment at the world-famous Royal Brompton Hospital in Chelsea, South West London, for a rare heart condition in August 2023 when the attack happened. He has been jailed for seven years after subjecting the woman to a five-minute ordeal which left her “frozen with fear.”
Jane Bickerstaff KC, defending, said: “Until July 2023 he had never left Qatar.
“He would have had minimal experience engaging with women outside a family context. The only woman he would have had any meaningful contact with is his mother.’ Limited visits to Doha and a preference for a desert environment curtailed his exposure to urban and modern societal norms.”
Ms Bickerstaff added: “This defendant would have had no experience whatsoever of interacting with a woman.
“We submit that he was equivalent to an immature and inexperienced adolescent. He completely failed to understand her true feelings.”
He was eventually convicted of two counts of attempted rape to which he had pleaded not guilty.
He had earlier admitted sexual assault and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without their consent.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, his victim said: “I was so scared. I felt frozen with fear. I couldn’t go anywhere. Although the incident lasted a few minutes it felt like ages to me. I was very shocked to hear it was only five minutes. A few days after the incident I had huge anxiety and fear. I could not leave the house.
“My life has never been the same. My family still do not know what happened to me. I am so close to my family.”
The victim added: “It has been a lonely and isolated year for me. I am not the outgoing woman I used to be. I am withdrawn and highly anxious and overly cautious, especially when I’m on my own in an unfamiliar environment.”
Judge Adam Hiddleston told Al-Gherainiq via translator that he “knew perfectly well” what he was doing.
He said: “You knew perfectly well what you were doing was against her wishes”.
He added: “She has suffered from difficulty sleeping, nightmares and flashbacks. She is now receiving therapy. Clearly what you did has had a devastating effect on her. There is evidence of severe psychological harm.”
Al-Gherainiq was sentenced to seven years and will be deported to Qatar upon his release.