Fawzi Omar Sentenced to Four Years for Sexual Assault in Exeter

A man has been sentenced to four years in prison, followed by an extended license period of four years, for the sexual assault of a woman in Exeter City Centre. Fawzi Omar, 27, pleaded guilty to the charge at Exeter Crown Court on Friday, November 22nd.

The court heard that Omar, a Sudanese national with no fixed address, targeted the victim, who was a stranger, as she walked home in the early hours of Wednesday, May 8th. He approached her, grabbed her, and proceeded to sexually assault her despite her pleas for him to stop.

Exeter city centre CCTV operators were alerted to the incident and identified footage of the assault. A description of the suspect was circulated, but officers initially lost track of Omar. However, a breakthrough came on Tuesday, June 11th, when a CCTV operator recognized Omar walking in the city center, matching the suspect's description and wearing similar clothing.

Omar was arrested and denied the offence. Forensic evidence, however, provided a conclusive match between Omar's DNA and samples taken from the victim. Detective Inspector Paula Trevett praised the bravery of the victim for coming forward and commended the work of Exeter officers involved in the investigation.

"We are happy that Fawzi Omar is now behind bars for a horrific attack carried out on a complete stranger," said Detective Inspector Trevett. "This example of fantastic teamwork demonstrates our commitment to making the streets of Exeter safer for women and girls."