Jailing Syrian sex offender asylum seeker could breach human rights, judge says

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02/19/jailing-sex-offender-asylum-seeker-breach-human-rights/

Posted by SlySquire

45 comments

  1. “Jailing a “very dangerous” [asylum seeker](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/refugee-crisis/) who sexually assaulted a teenager could breach his human rights, a court heard.

    Hassan Abou Hayleh, 39, attacked the 19 year-old after driving around at 3am looking for vulnerable drunk women.

    He was due to be sentenced on Monday at Bournemouth Crown Court, but the hearing was adjourned after his defence barrister argued that sending him to prison might breach his human rights.

    Graham Gilbert claimed that Hayleh was suffering from PTSD, having been tortured in a Syrian jail under the regime of Bashar al-Assad, [the former Syrian president](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/10/first-person-too-soon-go-back-syria-al-qaeda-few-years-ago/).

    The lawyer said that jail would make the defendant’s condition worse.

    He told Judge Robert Pawson: “The doctor’s report only came in on Saturday and it expressed concerns about Hayleh’s PTSD.

    “He has several symptoms of PTSD which would be made worse by a custodial sentence. It would also be made worse without the support of his wife and friends.

    “The court must work out whether a custodial sentence [would breach Article 3](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02/18/iraqi-asylum-seeker-mother-refuses-to-hand-over-id/) and be inhumane and degrading for him…”

    Hayleh targeted his victim while she was sitting alone on the kerb waiting for her father to give her a lift home.

    He molested her in the street and then tried to get her into his car before members of the public intervened.”

  2. The guy is a sexual predator who was literally looking for drunk women to rape.

    Fuck his human rights.

  3. I’m sure his 19 year old victim will suffer from PTSD going about her daily life now so tough fucking shit, you criminal.

  5. Its the weirdest argument known to the legal system, dont punish me because i wont enjoy it, like actually wtf are you on about 😂

  6. Fortunately the Assad regime is no more, so he can go home straight away, this is what he has surely wanted all along 

  8. Did he give a shit about her human rights? Yeah didn’t think so.

    Shame on this lawyer.

    Jail this monster and then deport him back to his cesspit of a country that Syria is.

  9. I don’t know why but this feels a lot like treason on part of the judge to me.

  10. So, undetermined medical supervision until it’s is u der control then jail or forever more in a hospital.

  11. He literally prowled the streets looking for vulnerable women to rape. He should have no rights.

  12. UK has fallen. Truly, truly sad. Oh well, back to reading about Victorian history.

  13. Everyone who’s convicted forfeits some rights. Jailing anyone, or even just fining them is a removal of their rights.

  15. Needs the support of his wife? I hope she leaves him!

  18. Nah I’m not ok with that. I understand mental illness can cause people to do terrible things but this was calculated not a spur of the moment thing, he was looking for somebody vulnerable.

    I don’t think I care about the mental health of a person when they’ve inflicted trauma on somebody like that.

  19. No, No.. This was totally an accident. He’s a lovely man.
    He is a valuable member of society and a pillar of morals for all youngsters to follow.

    There’s nothing I can think of that shows this as a trend at all, with certain members of public. Nothing at all.

    I cannot get banned for saying these things.. but anything remotely different than above.. well the mods be onto me won’t they.

    The ridiculousness of what can and cannot be said about facts eh.

  20. Jesus-fucking-wept.
    Fine. Don’t jail him. Stick him into a trebuchet and fire him off a cliff.

  21. Get gone! Shouldn’t have been allowed here anyway

  22. It’s breaching my human rights to a safe free life with him on the streets.

  23. Having PTSD doesn’t make you a rapist. Lock him up.

  24. If that defence gets him off, his barrister needs a payrise and a bonus..lol

  25. Completely normal for his lawyer to make an argument like this to keep him out of prison. I fucking guarantee we are only hearing about this because of all the noise at the minute regarding the ECHR. Wouldn’t be surprised if there will be absolute silence if the judge decides to send him to prison

  28. Assad is no longer in power, he is not in danger anymore

  30. I know these headlines from the Telegraph are designed to generate outrage – but if there is even an ounce of truth in this it’s appalling

    For it to be used as defence means his legal representation thinks it at least has a chance of working

    The law is broken. It’s needs to be ripped up and we need to start again.

    The rich don’t go to prison because your chances of going are greatly determined by how good a solicitor you can afford

    Judges now make political decisions

    Mental health is apparently an acceptable defence for sexual assault

    Non-violent crimes against big financial organisations get harsher punishments than violent crimes against people

    The whole industry is deliberately restricted with purpose built high barriers to entry

    Fuck all of this. Start again with a system based on rules not interpretations of old cases and one where the evidence and crime are the determining factors of your case and not your wealth or wealth of your victim

  31. The ECHR is quite possibly humanities single worst creation

  32. If you ever wonder why people wanna leave the ECHR (or alternate group) because “They’re gonna lose their *other* human rights”…

    **Its because of shit like this!**

  35. The barrister has said this, not the judge?

    The defence barrister…. Who’s job it is to defend? I 100% don’t agree with the approach taken but it’s massively different than the judge saying it.

  36. I’m so sick of this. What about the human rights of British people?? Not to get raped? Stabbed? It’s disgusting.

  37. This is disinformation. His *defence barrister* said that (because he is paid to say it). The judge considered it, then dismissed it. Don’t fall for the rage bait headlines.

  38. This is why I don’t agree with bringing in male asylum seekers. The reality is no matter how much they suffered at the hands of another man, they will always make women suffer. The taliban torture Afghan men, who then go home and rape their child brides. ISIS tortured Kurdish men, who then went on to rape Turkish women. Assad tortured Syrian men, who then go on to rape Syrian women, and now, British women.

    These countries have extremely high levels of sexual assault & non existent concepts of female autonomy & safety. Yes, British men have and will rape women, but it’s never at the same extent it is for the non Europeans brought in as refugees

  39. Syria is safe now, so deport him!
    Deport the judge as well.

  40. This article is more clickbait nonsense, the story is that the Judge learned that the Defendant had a previously unknown mental health condition, so the sentencing was postponed for a pre-sentence report to be drafted. This is a completely ordinary step in proceedings.

    Based on the offence, it will likely be a custodial sentence anyway. But sending someone to prison isn’t as simple as just putting them in a van and hauling them off. If he has a serious mental health condition we need to know the extent of it. It will be relevant to the type of prison he goes to, the security measures that need to be taken to protect officers, the rehabilitation programmes he will be assigned to, and whether he needs to be placed on a secure unit.

    This is an ordinary, sensible step to take. Don’t believe tabloid rubbish

  41. Notice the rights of criminals and sexual offenders are more precious than the rights of innocent women and children. Sickening

  42. All the do-gooders in the country. No wonder why Reform are surging.

  43. This genuinely feels me with so much rage, and disappointment at our country. Such a man should be deported immediately or jailed for the majority of his life. Prison is not supposed to be great for your mental health. It’s punishment. This is absolutely horrific.

  45. Deport the sex offender and fire the judge, criminals human rights don’t come before the offender ever

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