Mirror
October 31, 2014
Libyan soldiers being trained in Britain behaved “like a pack” hunting down and sexually assaulted three women in one night, a court heard.
Ibrahim Naji El Maarfi, 20, and Mohammed Abdalsalam, 27, left their barracks on stolen bicycles and rode to Cambridge where they stalked their victims under cover of darkness.
The city’s magistrates heard how they touched the women sexually and attempted to put their hands up their skirts.
Abdalsalam admitted two counts of sexual assault, one count of threatening behaviour towards a police office and one count of theft.
El Maarfi pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault, one count of exposure and one count of theft.
A third man, Khaled El Azibi, 18, charged with three counts of sexual assault and one count of theft refused to enter pleas at the hearing on Tuesday (Oct 28).
Cambridge magistrates said they were unable to sentence the two who pleaded guilty and they will be sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court at a later date.
Both men were remanded in custody with with El Azibi whose case will also be dealt with at the higher court.
The magistrates heard how the soldiers – who all appeared in court wearing tracksuits – are based at Bassingbourn Barracks some 14 miles outside Cambridge.
Prosecutor Paul Brown said: “The most serious aspect of it is there are three males targeting females under the cover of darkness.
“They are like a pack preying on women in the hours of darkness.
“These women were by themselves at night and they were vulnerable.”
Mr. Brown said the first victim was walking on her own at 10.30pm when the men approached her before touching her at “various times”.
El Maarfi then exposed his penis to her.
Mr. Brown said: “She was clearly distressed by the incident.”
The crimes were caught on CCTV and the “pack” was seen to ride off.
They then met two more women who were together and sexually assaulted them.