A 25-year-old man from Exeter has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison after kidnapping a vulnerable woman and attempting to sexually assault her in the early hours of the morning.
The incident occurred on 1 July 2023, when the 20-year-old victim, a university student, became separated from her friends after a night out drinking. She was found semi-conscious, sitting on a step in Mary Arches Street opposite the Fever nightclub, unable to stand on her own. Merwais Nasiri, of Topsham Road, Exeter, approached her and spent approximately 75 minutes sitting beside her, attempting to engage her in conversation. CCTV footage captured him with his arm around her, supporting her as he tried to move her twice before successfully carrying her into a nearby dark alleyway at around 3.30am, when the road was quiet.
Nasiri moved a commercial waste bin to block the entrance to the alley, concealing the woman from view. He was positioned on top of the helpless victim when two bouncers from the nightclub intervened. They had been alerted by a worker at a nearby takeaway who witnessed the abduction. The rescuers pushed aside the bin and discovered Nasiri with the woman. Earlier CCTV from Gandy Street, High Street, and outside the club showed Nasiri apparently loitering, seemingly waiting to target a lone and vulnerable female.
Prior to the abduction, a street pastor approached to check on the woman's welfare, but Nasiri assured them that she was fine and that he was looking after her. The victim had no memory of the events but was left deeply traumatised upon learning what had happened. She underwent intrusive medical checks at a sexual assault clinic, which she described as 'absolutely horrible and unpleasant'. In her victim impact statement, she wrote: 'When I saw the CCTV I was really shocked at the way he rested his head on my shoulder. I felt dirty and disgusted when I saw the alley. When I saw the way he tried to conceal me in the alley I was mortified. It has left me feeling violated and abused. There is no excuse for what he did to me. The effect will stay with me for a long time.'
The profound impact on the victim has been significant; she has struggled to complete her university studies, feels insecure, and has moved back home, abandoning her original career plans. Nasiri denied the charges of kidnap and intending to commit a sexual assault but was found guilty by a jury at Exeter Crown Court following a trial in January 2024.
Sentencing took place on 16 April 2024 before Judge Stephen Climie, who described the victim as demonstrating 'extraordinary dignity' in her evidence. The judge stated: 'This case is not about you. It is about a young woman of 20 who gave evidence before this court which demonstrated not just intelligence and composure but extraordinary dignity. She had been drinking and required assistance but that was the last thing on your mind. Having watched the CCTV, the one thing on your mind during that hour and a quarter was sexual activity.' Prosecutor Mr Joss Ticehurst highlighted the premeditated nature of Nasiri's actions. Defence barrister Mr Daniel Pawson-Pounds noted Nasiri's tragic background as a refugee from Afghanistan, where he lost his father to the Taliban and his mother in France in 2022, before seeking asylum in Britain and being housed in Exeter by the Home Office. However, the court classified Nasiri as a dangerous offender, placing him on the sex offenders' register for life and imposing a four-year extended licence period.
The case was reported by the Exmouth Journal, drawing on court proceedings at Exeter Crown Court. Devon and Cornwall Police investigated the incident, with CCTV evidence proving crucial to the conviction.