Shoukkathali Kaniyarakkal

A man formerly employed by a luxury hotel has been jailed for sexually assaulting a vulnerable woman in Colchester city centre. Shoukkathali Kaniyarakkal, 42, of Hesper Road, Colchester, targeted the woman who was sitting on the steps outside the Waterstones store in the High Street on September 7, 2024, at around 10pm.

The victim, who appeared homeless and had stated she had 'nowhere to go', was initially approached by Kaniyarakkal who asked if she was alright. She replied that she was, and he left, only to return shortly after asking where she lived. Upon her response of 'Nowhere', he departed again but came back a third time. This time, he took her by the wrist, telling her he would 'look after her'. The woman felt worried but initially wondered if he was trying to be nice.

Kaniyarakkal then put his arms around the victim and kissed her, leaving her in disbelief. He proceeded to grab her breast over her clothes and pinch her nipple. He also rubbed his hand over her private parts, again over her clothing. The victim managed to push him off and ran to a nearby restaurant for help.

The court heard that Kaniyarakkal, an Indian national, was already subject to a deportation order after serving eight months in prison for a previous sexual assault offence committed in February 2023 while working at Claridge’s, the luxury hotel in Mayfair, London.

At Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday, Judge David Pugh stated he was satisfied that Kaniyarakkal had 'targeted' the vulnerable woman. The judge sentenced him to 10 months in prison, advising that he could expect to serve up to half of this time in custody and a further 12 months on licence. Kaniyarakkal will also be subject to notifications on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.