Cyclist, aged 26, convicted for sexually assaulting three women on his commute home, with the alleged incidents occurring near his asylum accommodation

In a shocking turn of events, Qais Al-Aswad, a 26-year-old man, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting three women in Horley, Surrey. The assaults, which occurred over a three-week period, took place along the same bike path near various locations, including a pub, a Waitrose car park, and an unspecified location.

The first assault occurred on May 23, targeting a woman in her 30s near the Waitrose car park. The second incident happened on June 4, involving a woman in her 50s. The third victim, a woman in her 20s, was assaulted on an unspecified date.

Al-Aswad, who was working for an Albanian man at a car wash near London Bridge, was identified through CCTV footage. The footage showed him wearing distinctive jackets, trainers, an Air Jordan rucksack, and riding a purple pedal bike. Remarkably, Al-Aswad was wearing the same matching clothing during the third assault as shown in the CCTV footage.

The victims bravely gave evidence at the trial, describing their shock and feelings of violation. The first victim stated she was left feeling shocked and violated, while the second victim recalled shouting out after the assault. The third woman shouted at the cyclist following the assault.

Al-Aswad claimed he was working with his cousins at the time of the offenses. However, analysis of his mobile phone placed him in the area at the time of the third assault. Al-Aswad was arrested on June 19, and the same clothing was recovered during a search of his hotel room.

Al-Aswad attempted to deflect blame, suggesting that his friends had access to his clothes and bike. However, the evidence against him was overwhelming.

The sentencing for Al-Aswad is yet to be announced. A search for further information regarding a migrant detained in HMP Wandsworth in August 2023 before sentencing in October did not yield specific results.