Waleed Alharbi

A student from Saudi Arabia, Waleed Alharbi, aged 26, has been convicted at Winchester Crown Court of the rape and attempted rape of a woman in her 30s. The incident occurred in the early hours of 28 June 2025, following a meeting at the Astoria nightclub in Portsmouth.

Prosecutor Mike Mason detailed to the jury how Alharbi encountered the complainant, who was heavily intoxicated, at the nightclub. The pair left together, and due to her extreme drunkenness, Alharbi carried her part of the way to his flat in Greetham Street, Portsmouth. Upon arrival, the assaults began in the shower area, where Alharbi pushed the woman down, turned on the water, and attempted to rape her as she cried and screamed, pleading for him to stop and expressing her desire to go home.

The woman reportedly banged her head, passed out briefly, and awoke to find Alharbi raping her on his bed. She resisted, repeatedly saying 'No, no, do not do this,' but he restrained her by pushing and holding her down. DNA evidence conclusively linked Alharbi to the crime, with his sperm found in the complainant's vagina. After the assault, Alharbi accompanied her out of the flat, but left her alone outside, sitting on the floor crying, while he departed on a scooter.

Alharbi denied the charges, claiming the sexual activity was consensual. He informed the court that he works as an airport maintenance manager in Saudi Arabia while studying for a finance degree at a university there. The judge, Jane Miller KC, adjourned the case for sentencing on 9 December 2025, remanding Alharbi in custody. She emphasised the need for a victim impact statement to assess the psychological harm suffered by the complainant, noting her evident distress during the trial.

In her remarks to the jury, Judge Miller referenced Justice Secretary David Lammy’s proposal to limit jury trials, asserting that juries provide essential objectivity in serious cases like this rape trial. The conviction was reported by The News on 2 December 2025, highlighting the severity of the offences committed in Portsmouth, Hampshire.