Chilling Crime Caught on CCTV
Zakaria Abdulla, 23, an asylum seeker from Sudan, was convicted at Aberdeen Sheriff Court after sexually assaulting a heavily intoxicated woman in Bon Accord Terrace Gardens on 19 September 2022. CCTV footage showed Abdulla lurking outside city centre pubs at closing time, hunting for a vulnerable victim.
Predatory Attack in Aberdeen City Centre
Abdulla spotted the struggling woman, grabbed her hand, and dragged her into a nearby car park off Justice Mill Lane. He pinned her against a wall, then moved her to parkland where he forcibly kissed her and groped her intimately, causing injury. The victim was too drunk to consent.
Attempted Escape and Final Arrest
When the woman tried to flee, Abdulla chased her down and led her to a nearby property. The jury unanimously found him guilty of sexual assault but cleared him of intent to rape. Sheriff Ian Wallace branded the attack “serious and planned,” highlighting Abdulla’s journey from his Glasgow Home Office accommodation specifically to target a lone, intoxicated woman in Aberdeen.
Hard-Hitting Sentence
Abdulla was sentenced to 18 months in prison and will remain on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years. A stark warning to those preying on vulnerable victims in public spaces.
