Afghan Migrant Convicted of Sexual Assault in London Incident

A 25-year-old Afghan migrant, Abid Sherzad, was found guilty of sexual assault after an incident near London Bridge station. The attack occurred when a woman in her twenties, who had fallen asleep on a bench while eating pizza, woke to find Sherzad touching her inappropriately. During a court hearing, the victim asserted, “I didn’t give him any impression that I was consenting whatsoever.”

Sherzad, who had been in the United Kingdom for only nine months before the assault in June 2023, purchased the takeaway meal for the victim earlier in the evening. Following the incident, a passer-by filmed Sherzad attempting to conceal his identity with a pizza box. This evidence played a crucial role in the subsequent investigation.

The case was heard at Croydon Magistrates’ Court, where the court established that Sherzad sexually assaulted the woman. He was arrested in October 2023 at his accommodation, a taxpayer-funded hotel in Oxford, where he was residing after arriving in the UK.

During the proceedings, Sherzad claimed that he faced life-threatening circumstances in Afghanistan due to his father’s work with the government. Despite these claims, the court focused on the details of the assault, leading to his conviction.

Sherzad remains in custody and is scheduled to be sentenced at Inner London Crown Court at a later date. The case highlights ongoing concerns regarding safety in public spaces and the protection of vulnerable individuals, particularly in urban settings.

As the legal process unfolds, the incident raises important questions about accountability and the experiences of migrants in their new environments.