NZ Herald
Monday April 8, 2019
A convicted rapist and refugee from Somalia was due to be deported before well-intentioned passengers on a Heathrow flight to Turkey intervened.
Now his victim, 27, has spoken out, saying "the bleeding heart brigade" and widespread publication of the video of his "rescue" has re-traumatised her, reports the Mail on Sunday.
The mother has had PTSD since she was raped by four men at the age of 16, and is now terrified to go out in public after watching her attacker walk free after serving over ten years in prison.
Footage of Yaqub Ahmed, 29 was shared widely, showing travellers shouting "they're separating him from his family" and demanding he be released.
Hannah (not her real name) has no sympathy for the "bleeding heart" passengers who advocated for her attacker; ''How could you defend a rapist? How could you intervene? He was in handcuffs, he was being taken out of the country… who are you people to interfere with justice?"
"Fair enough you didn't know the situation, but now I hope you feel proud of yourselves because you stopped something that I have waited for so long: something that made me feel that little bit safer."
Hannah says she is desperate for her rapist to be deported as her metal health has deteriorated since his release, making work impossible and keeping her within 3km of her home at all times.
"They need to deport him. How have they allowed this to happen? It's an absolute farce. I thought there was meant to be victim's rights. Where are my rights here?"
Over ten years ago, Hannah was attacked by three men after becoming separated from friends on a night out in Leicester Square.
Adnan Mohamud approached her claiming her friend had gone back to his Crouch End flat with one of his friends. But when she arrived, her friend wasn't there, and she was attacked.
Despite an abundance of forensic evidence, the men, aged between 18 and 20 at the time, denied rape, forcing Hannah to relive the ordeal during several days of cross-examination at a trial. It left her even more traumatised; "The things [the lawyers] said to me messed me up for years."
Hannah says the intense focus on Ahmed's failed deportation has brought horrific memories of the incident flooding back.
Home Office sources say the Government is still planning to deport him, although he may have already launched another appeal.
Hannah sarcastically applauds the passengers' actions, adding; "Well, I hope you all feel proud of yourselves."