Emmanuel Onwubiko

Emmanuel Onwubiko, a 36-year-old man originally from Nigeria and residing in the UK on an expired student visa, was convicted of five counts of sexual assault against an 18-year-old woman in Warrington last year. The assaults took place when Onwubiko, then 35, began behaving inappropriately towards the teenager, escalating to physical contact including touching her breast, bottom, and grabbing her vagina on two occasions. He also posed inappropriate sexual questions to her, dismissing her discomfort by citing cultural differences from Nigeria where such behaviour towards women would allegedly not be reported.

The victim, feeling physically sick and scared, retreated to a bathroom to hide and sent a detailed 'running log' of the assaults to a friend. She later fled to a family member's house and reported the incidents, leading to Onwubiko's arrest by Cheshire Police. During his police interview, Onwubiko denied the assaults. He pleaded not guilty to all charges, forcing the victim to relive the trauma in a trial at Liverpool Crown Court, where she recounted the events before a jury.

Despite his denials, Onwubiko was found guilty on all five counts. At his sentencing hearing on Friday at Liverpool Crown Court, the victim bravely delivered a personal statement detailing the profound impact of the assaults on her mental health. 'My mental health has significantly declined due to what happened to me,' she said. 'Some days I feel as though I can't get out of bed due to feeling anxious. My mind is always thinking about what happened to me, and it is as though I have constant flashbacks.' Desperate to feel clean again, she researched and underwent an urgent baptism at a local church, hoping the holy water would wash away the horrible feelings.

Judge Gary Woodhall, in his sentencing remarks, addressed Onwubiko directly: 'From the very beginning of that day, you behaved inappropriately towards her. You demonstrated sexual attraction towards her. She was scared.' The judge noted the harm caused but proceeded with sentencing, imposing two years of immediate imprisonment. Onwubiko was also ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years and received a 10-year restraining order to protect the victim. Defence representative Robert Wynn-Jones highlighted Onwubiko's family situation in Nigeria, including his wife and three children facing threats over an unpaid loan, and his hopes to apply for a post-graduate visa to remain in the UK.

In a related incident, the victim's father assaulted Onwubiko upon learning of the attacks, punching him multiple times and causing severe injuries including a nose bleed, chipped teeth, and a subdural haemorrhage requiring emergency brain surgery. The father was sentenced separately to 18 months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 200 hours of unpaid work. This case was reported by the Warrington Guardian, drawing from court proceedings at Liverpool Crown Court and statements from Cheshire Police.