Description
A woman's supposed friend punched and kicked her when she refused to perform a sex act on him.
Mohammad Keneshlou told his victim he was "sad" and tried to hug and kiss her after an evening drinking.
The woman told him to stop, said she was married and even rang her husband to make clear she wasn't interested.
But 28-year-old Keneshlou, of Rocky Lane, Anfield, exposed himself and then pushed the woman's head towards him.
Liverpool Crown Court today heard she only escaped after biting him on the hand and screaming to alert neighbours.
Nicola Daley, prosecuting, said Keneshlou and the woman went for a walk to a park in Liverpool one evening in 2019.
They then went to her accommodation, where they had some drinks, before going to her room.
Ms Daley said the victim accepted that when Keneshlou said he was sad and lay down on her bed, she lay down next to him.
However, when he tried to kiss her and rub his clothed genital region against her she told him to stop and pushed him away.
The court heard she rang her husband to tell him she loved him, because she wanted Keneshlou to realise she was serious.
Ms Daley said Keneshlou pulled her back onto the bed and tried to hug and kiss her, then exposed himself.
She said: "He was pleading with her to give him oral sex. She refused and he initially tried to push her head towards his penis, but then she refused again and so he punched her to the face."
The woman again refused and he punched her again and kicked her, as she tried to fight back and screamed.
Neighbours responded to her cries, she ran out of her room and police were called, before she was taken to hospital with swelling and bruising to her eyes, cheek and lips.
Ms Daley said the victim now suffers with anxiety, struggles to sleep and is "fearful of being in the company of other men".
The prosecutor said: "She has described moving away from Liverpool to try and put the matter behind her, but has indicated that continuing anxiety has made it difficult for her to work and the relationship with her husband has deteriorated.
"She describes being scared of being attacked both when at home and when out in public."
Keneshlou, who was arrested at around 10.25pm, had scratches to his arms and an injury to his thumb consistent with the victim fighting against him.
Ms Daley said he was "clearly under the influence of alcohol" and had vomited next to the woman's bed.
When interviewed, Keneshlou said he had felt "sorry" for the woman and described her as "unattractive".
He said she told him she was "lonely", and she instigated kissing before reaching for his penis, so he pushed her away.
Keneshlou was set to stand trial after denying attempted rape, sexual assault and assault causing actual bodily harm.
Prosecutors dropped the attempted rape charge, which was ordered to lie on the file, after he admitted the other charges shortly before the trial.
Keneshlou, who has no previous convictions, had multiple character references, including a testimonial from Reverend David Gavin of Christ Church in Anfield, who was sitting in the public gallery today.
Ben Jones, defending, said theses references showed a "very decent human being who goes out of his way to assist those who are even less fortunate than him".
He said Keneshlou had sought to demonstrate remorse "albeit with some minimisation", had undergone counselling with Reverend Gavin, and it had been his "sole experience" drinking alcohol.
Mr Jones said Keneshlou feared prison because of a "traumatising" experience in custody abroad and suggested he was a "good man", who if spared jail could continue his "good works" for others.
As Keneshlou cried in the dock, his lawyer said: "He wants me to emphasise that he seeks if not prays every day for forgiveness from the victim of his offending.
"He recognises the damage that he's done to her, he recognises the impact upon her and it, I seek to assure the court, has affected him deeply as well."
Judge Anil Murray told Keneshlou: "This must have been a thoroughly terrifying experience for the complainant.
"She screamed for help and bit you on the hand to get away."
He said the impact included her losing more than 10kg in weight, feeling unable to go out shopping or trust anyone, and leaving the city.
The judge said it was "a very bad example" of sexual assault, with physical and psychological injuries, against a "vulnerable" woman.
Referring to a pre-sentence report, which found he likely "held negative attitudes towards women", the judge said: "You say you're remorseful, however you only accepted limited responsibility and you put the blame on your victim."
He added: "I've read about your background, I note that you come from Iran and that you were tortured and that you came to the UK as an asylum seeker. I note that you have anxiety, depression and PTSD."
However, the judge said a psychiatrist found Keneshlou being "emotionally unstable" and his mental health issues didn't lessen his culpability and that his account to the doctor of what happened was "not consistent with guilt to these offences".
Keneshlou sobbed as Judge Murray jailed him for two years and eight months, imposed a five-year restraining order to protect the woman, and told him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.