Yousuf Musa, a 28-year-old man from Ethiopia seeking asylum in the UK, targeted two women in separate incidents over two days, demonstrating predatory behaviour described in court as being 'acutely sexually preoccupied'. The first attack occurred at a venue where one victim was volunteering to help asylum seekers. Musa, who had been interacting with her, approached her insistently and, under the pretence of whispering something, forcefully grabbed her by the genitals, pulled her towards him, and placed a hand on her breast over her clothing. The victim struggled, shouting 'no, get off me', but he held her tightly for several seconds before releasing her.
After letting go, Musa smirked and gestured to his genitals, saying 'don't you want this' and making masturbating motions while suggesting she 'feel this too'. The victim, shaken and in pain from her wrist, called for him to leave and threatened to contact the police, but he remained smiling until a male colleague intervened and forcibly removed him from the building. Musa attempted to grab her wrist again during the removal. In her victim impact statement, the woman described feeling threatened for the first time in her role dealing with over 1,000 people, noting emotional distress including anger that required professional help, and that children present were upset.
Upon arrest, Musa's behaviour continued inappropriately; he asked a female police officer for a kiss, complimented her beauty, suggested she sit next to him in the custody van, and blew kisses through the divider while smirking and moving suggestively. He was told to stop being 'disgusting' by the officer. Released the following day, Musa quickly targeted another woman walking her dogs near a supermarket in Ashington. He followed her, hovered around her family—including her parents and teenage brother—asked to stroke the dogs, and persistently requested hugs from the two women. When the older woman declined, he approached closer, placed his hand on her shoulder, and only desisted after her husband intervened and told him to leave. The older woman felt 'violated and threatened', describing the incident as terrifying.
At Newcastle Crown Court, Recorder Andrew Haslam KC condemned Musa's actions, stating: 'People like (her) give up their own time to help you and you rewarded her hard efforts for you by sexually assaulting and assaulting her.' A pre-sentence report highlighted Musa's high risk of causing serious harm and his creation of opportunities for predatory behaviour. Musa pleaded guilty to sexual assault and common assault for the first incident, and common assault and threatening behaviour for the second. He was sentenced to 16 months in custody, with five months on remand counting towards the term, meaning he would serve only up to 40% before release. Additionally, he must register as a sex offender for ten years and comply with five-year restraining orders protecting both victims. The case was reported by Chronicle Live on 13 August 2025, based on proceedings at Newcastle Crown Court.