Sudanese shepherd sexually assaulted man because 'immorality' of UK encouraged him, court hears

A Sudanese shepherd granted asylum in the UK has claimed that "immorality" in Newcastle encouraged him to sexually assault a man in the city centre.

Zain Osman, 25, who arrived in the country on a lorry, thrust his hands down the victim's trousers and tried to force him to perform oral sex on him in the street.

He also bit the man on his back and shoulder and sent him tumbling into a roadworks ditch during the 20-minute attack last September. 

The attack was halted by a taxi driver who saw what was happening and intervened, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Osman, of Gerald Street, Newcastle, admitted sexual assault and was jailed for 15 months. He was also made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and his name will appear on the sex offenders register for the same period.

But Jamie Adams, defending Osman, said his client carried out the sexual assault because he had "never experienced the kind of immorality" he witnessed in Newcastle and that his behaviour was not violent but showed "clumsy drunken persistence".

"He is an uneducated man. He was a shepherd in his own country, the Sudan," said Mr Adams.

"He had never experienced the kind of immorality he experienced in coming here and was evident in this particular area of Newcastle.

"But it was quite wrong to have made his advances when it was evident the man didn't want anything from him.

"He came from Sudan, where homosexuality is still a capital offence, although it's not always enforced. Alcohol is also a pretty serious offence for a Muslim in Sudan.

"This young man had not had any experience of either of those things until he came here. Sadly he started using alcohol.

"He lacked the kind of life experiences we know about in our more civilised community."

Osman's 26-year-old victim, who was said to be a vulnerable adult, had been out that night at Rusty's gay bar in the city centre.

There, he had met a man and they left together before engaging in "consensual activity" in the street, the court heard.

When the man walked off and the victim was left alone, Osman approached.

Prosecutor Robin Turton said: "He tried to walk away but felt a bite from behind. He fell into a ditch outside a cash and carry.

"He screamed and told him he was going home."

Mr Turton said CCTV of the assault showed "the sustained and persistent nature of the defendant's conduct".

He added: "Mr Osman is an asylum seeker from Sudan who entered the UK in a lorry with no passport so we can't say if he had any convictions outside this country."

Judge Jeremy Freedman said Osman "would not take no for an answer".

Sentencing him, he added: "The fact you were drunk and that (the victim) was drunk does not provide you with any excuse, albeit it may explain your behaviour in part.

"It's apparent from the CCTV that he was desperate to get away and becoming very upset.

"I accept you are now very sorry for what you did and you are a naive uneducated gentleman. Nevertheless, you knew what you were doing was wrong and you must be punished."

Sign up for your essential, twice-daily briefing from The Telegraph with our free Front Page newsletter.