A man has been sentenced to 21 months in a young offenders institution for sexually assaulting a young woman in Swansea.

Adem Mohammed, 20, followed his victim home after encountering her on the street and pretending to know her. He then prevented her from closing her flat door and entered her room, where he kissed her against her will, hugged her, and grabbed her bottom.

The woman suffered a panic attack and Mohammed left. She then alerted her neighbors via WhatsApp and contacted the police.

CCTV footage showed Mohammed interacting with the woman on the street and later leaving the area on his bicycle. He was identified and arrested, and in interview claimed he had been looking for a girlfriend and had asked the woman for help. He also alleged that she invited him back to her flat to use the internet and initiated the kissing, which he said he rejected.

At Swansea Crown Court, Mohammed was found guilty of sexual assault. During sentencing, his defense attorney, Hilary Roberts, argued that cultural differences between Mohammed, who was granted refugee status in 2021, and the victim may have played a role in the incident. He also claimed that the incident was opportunistic and not pre-planned.

Judge Catherine Richards rejected these arguments, stating that Mohammed had deliberately engaged the woman in conversation, pretended to know her, and followed her home. She also noted that he had entered her flat despite her telling him he was not welcome.

Mohammed was sentenced to 21 months in detention, with a requirement to serve up to half of the sentence in custody before being released on licence. He will also be a registered sex offender for the next 10 years.