Asylum seeker who sexually assaulted seven-year-old in hostel has jail term increased

Safi, who entered the UK via a small boat in 2021, denied the charges but was convicted of kidnapping and sexual assault of a child during a trial in April.

He was jailed for two years and six months, but the Court of Appeal has now ruled the sentence was “unduly lenient”.

On Friday, Lord Justice Jeremy Baker, sitting with Mr Justice Swift and Mr Justice Kimblin, increased his jail term to four years.

Lord Justice Baker said the sentencing judge had not taken the kidnap offence seriously enough.

He added: “It is difficult to escape the conclusion that the reason he selected his victim was her age and inability to resist.

“We are satisfied the sentence that was passed in this case did not adequately reflect the offender’s criminality.”

The court heard how the girl had noticed Safi staring at her before he offered her an apple and invited her into his room, which she refused five times.

He then pulled her into his room, forced the apple into her bag and assaulted the child before allowing her to leave.

She no longer feels safe around single men and has recurring nightmares, the court was told.

During the hearing, Ben Lloyd, representing the Solicitor General, argued the sentencing judge was wrong to reduce the term due to Safi’s youth, his claims of a difficult childhood and the fact he had limited English.

Safi says he came to the UK from Afghanistan in 2021 after being taken from his family to be a slave for the Taliban at the age of 10.

Speaking through a Pashto interpreter during the hearing earlier this year, Safi told the court: “I like children, and she was a child. I asked her where she was going.

“She said she was waiting for her mother to go shopping. I kissed her to the face. I kissed her out of the love for children. Back home, all the people do that.”

His asylum claim has been refused but he is awaiting the outcome of an appeal.

Jai Patel, for Safi, argued that the details of the sexual assault should place it in a category resulting in a sentence on the lower end of the scale.