world
Somalian Man Denies Sexual Assault Charges in Bournemouth Court Case
Abdinasir Elmi, a 26-year-old Somalian national, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault at Winchester Crown Court. The charges relate to an incident involving an 18-year-old woman in Bournemouth Gardens, Dorset, on April 22, 2023. Prosecutors allege Elmi waited for the woman to be alone before approaching her.
Apr 8, 11:05 AM·2m read1 source
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Winchester Crown Court heard that Abdinasir Elmi, 26, a Somalian national, has denied two counts of sexual assault. m. in Bournemouth Gardens, Dorset, on April 22, 2023. Elmi attended the hearing with a Somali interpreter.
Prosecutors stated that the 18-year-old woman had been out with her boyfriend and friends that evening. She initially planned to be picked up by a friend's mother, but the boyfriend left earlier, and the car was a two-seater unable to accommodate both women. The woman was left alone at the location when the others departed.
According to prosecutors, Elmi had been observing the group from a distance. CCTV footage from the town center showed him standing nearby and looking at the young people without engaging them. He then approached the woman and guided her to a nearby bus stop.
Incident Details Prosecutors claimed Elmi accompanied the woman beyond the bus stop to a quiet park bench in the seaside town.
The court heard that during the encounter, the woman was able to kick Elmi and escape. She reported the incident later that evening but could not identify the assailant at the time. >"Whilst all this was going on, it would appear the defendant, Mr Elmi, had been watching.
" — Prosecutor Oliver Hirsch (GB News) Court documents indicated Elmi resided at the Roundhouse Hotel in Bournemouth. His immigration status in the UK has not been disclosed to the jury. The trial is ongoing at Winchester Crown Court.
has been a member of Bournemouth Athletic Club since October 2023.
The club stated that in Somalia, he trained alongside athletes including British Olympian Sir Mo Farah and Belgian runner Bashir Abdi. No further details on his athletic background were provided in court. The case involves an 18-year-old woman from the Bournemouth area, with potential implications for local safety measures and public transport usage at night.
