A failed asylum seeker has pleaded not guilty to raping a woman in her 30s in a wooded area of Bournemouth.
Egyptian man, Mohammed Fathi Eltbie, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court today, where he entered his plea.
He was accused of committing the offence in the Dorset seaside resort on November 5 last month.
The 24-year-old was remanded in custody until his trial, set for May 26, 2026, with a further preliminary hearing scheduled for March 23.
Barrister Nick Robinson represented the 24-year-oldand had an Arabic interpreter.
Judge Robert Pawson told him: “Mr Eltbie, there are two important dates for you, the first is the trial date, which is May 26.
“Between now and that date, there is quite a lot of work to be done by your legal team. Mr Robinson, your barrister, is highly experienced and he will be doing the lion’s share of the work.
“Your solicitors will arrange a meeting or meetings with you and it’s important that you give them a full account of what you say happened.
“So, trial date is May 26 but to ensure that everything that needs to be done is being done, there is going to be another hearing on March 23 and which you should attend.
At the time of the alleged crime a cordon was set up at Winton Recreation Ground as officers investigated the incident
Mohammed Fathi Eltbie, 24, was remanded in custody until his trial, set for May 26, 2026, with a further preliminary hearing scheduled for March 23
“It’s important for you to bear in mind, Mr Eltbie, that the judge is not the person who makes the decision as to whether you are guilty, that decision will be made by 12 members of the public who are picked at random so the decision will be entirely impartial.
“We will see you on March 23 and in the meantime you remain remanded in custody.”
A previous hearing was told that Eltbie’s asylum status was “uncertain” after the Egyptian national’s application was refused in January with him having entered the UK in July 2023.
In his last court hearing, his lawyer Selina Goddard explained that he lives in a shared house in Bournemouth, but he is not sure of the address.
Goddard told the court that Eltbie denied the offence.
Neither the defendant nor the complainant knew each other, the court heard.
At Eltbie’s hearing on November 18, Detective Inspector Mark Jenkins, of the force’s major crime investigation team, said they have continued to provide support to the complainant and ‘she has been updated with this latest development’.
He added: ‘This matter will be subject to active court proceedings, and it is vital that the justice process is allowed to follow its course.
‘We would therefore urge members of the public to refrain from speculation or commentary relating to this case, particularly online and on social media.’
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Failed Egyptian asylum seeker denies raping a woman in a wooded area of Bournemouth