Sohail Amiri has been jailed (Image: Hampshire Police)
A failed asylum seeker living in a migrant hotel has been jailed for 36 months for sexual offences against three lone women as they walked to work demanding that they give him a kiss. Sohail Amiri, who was being housed in the Highfield House Hotel in Southampton, Hampshire, pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault against two women on September 23 and November 25, 2025, as well as the attempted sexual assault of a third woman on September 23.
The 30-year-old, who spoke with the assistance of a Pashto interpreter, was also sentenced for entering the United Kingdom without leave on October 23, 2023 contrary to Section 24 of the Immigration Act 1971. Gary Venturi, prosecuting, told Southampton Crown Court, that Amiri, a married father-of-two, attacked his first victim as she walked to work in Southampton at about 6.30am on September 23.
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He said that the defendant walked slowly behind her before catching up with her and “nudging” her with his left elbow. He said: “She heard the words ‘Just give me one kiss, just one kiss’. She said a firm ‘No’ and sprinted around the corner getting away from Mr Amiri and proceeding to work.”
Mr Venturi said that when she arrived at work she found that Amiri had targeted one of her colleagues at around the same time.
He said that the defendant had walked “directly in front of her path and to her shock said ‘Give me a kiss’. She replied ‘f*** off’”.
Mr Venturi said that Amiri then pushed the woman against a letter box, again demanding that she kiss him before he walked away as she resisted.
The prosecutor said that the third victim was a university student walking home from her work just after midnight on November 25 when Amiri bumped into her from behind before walking alongside her and falsely told her that he was also a student.
Mr Venturi said: “This made her uneasy, he then began to compliment her, saying she was beautiful, nice eyes and hair, she replied ‘I have a boyfriend’ in the hope that would discourage him. The response she heard was ‘You are so beautiful, he would not mind sharing’.”
He said that Amiri then asked for a kiss and “grabbed her wrist forcefully”, forced her against a bush and “pushed himself against her, kissing her on the face multiple times”.
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He continued: “She describes attempts to put his tongue in her mouth, smearing his mouth across her face, she resisted as best she could, pushing him away and trying to escape.
“When she tried to run away, Mr Amiri grabbed her wrist again, this time shoving her against some bushes, forcing her into the bush, holding her tightly, still pushing his body against her.”
Mr Venturi said that Amiri was later identified through CCTV at the Highfield House Hotel and from DNA of his saliva on the victim’s face.
He said that all three victims had become scared to walk alone and were having difficulty sleeping following the attacks, with the student having to pull out and resit her university year because of her anxiety.
Mr Venturi said that Amiri entered the UK in a “clandestine small boat” on October 24, 2023.
He said: “The Home Office received an asylum application from him, he was housed in Highfield House Hotel in Southampton, asylum application was refused by December 20, 2024 and an appeal is outstanding.”
Matthew Radstone, defending, said that Amiri had sought asylum in the UK after his father had been murdered by the Taliban and he had attempted to assist those fighting them.
He said: “He is somebody who arrived in the UK as a result of fleeing Afghanistan due to threats to his and his family’s lives.”
Southampton Crown Court (Image: HAMPSHIRE LIVE/BPM MEDIA)
The court heard that Amiri had been diagnosed with PTSD, depression and epilepsy and Mr Radstone said he was “genuinely remorseful” for his actions.
Sentencing Amiri, Judge Nicholas Rowland told him: “Should any woman be able to walk along the pavement at any time of day or night without the fear of being attacked by a man like you? The answer is of course they should.”
As well as the prison term, Judge Rowland sentenced Amiri to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.
Detective Chief Inspector Michael Higgins, of Hampshire Constabulary, said: “Sohail Amiri’s behaviour was predatory, and created a great deal of fear and anxiety for all three women, who should be able to feel safe in their own community.
“Their courage and bravery throughout meant we have been able to present a case to the court which Amiri has had no choice but to plead guilty to.”