A 36-year-old Iranian asylum seeker has received an extended sentence of 15 years at Snaresbrook Crown Court after being convicted of attempted rape following a 55-minute stalking pursuit of a woman returning from a Christmas event.
Hossein Mohmoudi, an Iranian national housed in east London asylum accommodation, appeared for sentence before Judge Sarah-Jane Griffiths following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police into a predatory sexual attack.
The court was told that the attack occurred in December 2024. The 43-year-old victim was travelling home from a Christmas party when Mohmoudi shadowed her movements for 55 minutes. Mohmoudi boarded the same bus as the victim and followed her on foot into an alleyway, where he forced her to the ground and attempted to rape her. The assault was interrupted when a passer-by intervened, directly confronting Mohmoudi and ending the attack.
In a victim impact statement, the survivor described fearing for her life during the struggle and recounted enduring debilitating preventative treatments for HIV and hepatitis B following the attack.
Mohmoudi pleaded not guilty to the charge. During proceedings, he claimed that personal medical factors, obesity, and depression precluded him from having sexual intent or capability, and asserted that his browsing of fetish websites was aimed at developing his English language comprehension.
Prosecutor Christiaan Moll highlighted that Mohmoudi had engaged in earlier predatory behaviour, including the stalking of a south-west London barmaid and an incident three months prior where police were summoned after he peered through the windows of a woman’s home. The court also heard that Mohmoudi had accumulated five criminal convictions in Germany for offences involving assault and criminal damage prior to entering the UK.
The jury rejected Mohmoudi’s assertions and convicted him of attempted rape. Judge Griffiths noted that Mohmoudi had prowled the streets seeking a vulnerable victim, showed no remorse, and posed a significant ongoing risk to women.
Under the provisions of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 and Section 49 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, all victims of sexual offences are protected by automatic, lifelong statutory anonymity. Publishing, broadcasting, or disseminating any details, names, addresses, educational facilities, or photographs capable of leading to the public identification of protected individuals is strictly prohibited under UK law.
Mohmoudi was convicted of:
- Attempted rape
Passing sentence, Judge Sarah-Jane Griffiths imposed an extended sentence of 15 years, comprising 11 years in custody and an extended licence period of four years.
Alongside the extended custodial term, the court confirmed:
- A requirement to serve two-thirds of the 11-year custodial term (seven years and four months) before parole assessment
- Indefinite notification requirements on the Sex Offenders Register for life under the Sexual Offences Act 2003
- Formal liability for deportation proceedings upon completion of the custodial term
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