Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Failed asylum-seeker fled as he launched sex attack
A drug-taking failed asylumseeker dragged a woman into a Canterbury car park and sexually assaulted her.
Predatory Housny Boulaiz was only stopped when three men saw him leading the girl into the darkness and decided to intervene.
Sentencing him to three and a half years in custody, a judge at Canterbury Crown Court also recommended Charlie Vanstone, Edd Withers and Sam Eagleson receive a High Sheriff’s Award.
The 18-year-old Moroccan, whose asylum claim has been rejected by the Home Office, was convicted of kidnapping and sexual assault after a trial.
Judge Heather Norton told him: “You are well-practised and predatory and are willing to take risks to meet your offending needs.”
The attack took place on November 5 last year.
Mr Withers, 30, was work- ing for his cake delivery firm when he spotted the girl, who had been on a night out, being led to a car park behind a business on the Sturry Road.
“I only just saw it out of the corner of my eye, but it just didn’t look right,” he said.
“We went over there and he was literally in the process of assaulting the young woman. He was lying on top of her and no one knows really what might have happened
“Charlie started to film the guy and then chased after him when he ran away.
“The girl was very shaken up by it. We were just in the right place at the right time.
“It’s frightening, but I’ve been in Canterbury 10 years now and nothing like this has ever happened to anyone I know.”
Mr Vanstone, 23, was the first to arrive and asked Boulaiz what he was doing before chasing him as he fled.
He said: “We were pretty angry about what we’d seen. Before he ran off, Boulaiz was denying what he was up to, but it was clear that he was about to have sex with the victim.
“Canterbury is a pretty loving city, but obviously it can attract the wrong people.”
Mr Withers and Mr Eagleson, 23, took the girl to her home while Mr Vanstone helped police look for Boulaiz, who is of no fixed address.
They did not find him and police later issued a public appeal for him, placing him on their “most wanted” list.
John Barker, defending, said Boulaiz came to the UK on a lorry when he was 10. He left his home in Morocco when he was eight after his mother threw hot oil over him, leaving him permanently scarred.
Sending Boulaiz to a young offender’s institute, Judge Heather Norton told him: “It is likely at the end of your sentence you will be deported – but that’s not a matter for me.”