Brave victim helps secure conviction of rape attacker
Detectives have praised the bravery of a victim in coming forward and helping to secure the conviction of her rape attacker.
The 20-year-old woman was subjected to a sexual attack during the early hours of Sunday 6 July 2025 on Bournemouth seafront in the area of Undercliff Drive.
The victim was walking along the seafront shortly before 1am when she saw a group of men sat on a bench.
One of the group, 19-year-old Mohammed Abdullah from the West Drayton area in Middlesex, approached her and offered to give her a lift on his e-bike.
They came to a stop a short time later in the area of the East Cliff Zig-Zag, where witnesses reported seeing the defendant carrying his victim in his arms towards some portable toilets.
Abdullah sexually assaulted her before taking her inside one of the toilets, locking the door and raping her.
He then rode off on his e-bike, leaving the victim at the scene.
A short time later she flagged down a member of the public and used their phone to contact her mother, who then phoned the police.
Abdullah – a Syrian national who gave his self-defined ethnicity as Arab – was identified through enquiries by detectives and was subsequently arrested and charged with rape and assault by penetration.
On Friday 15 May 2026 he was convicted following a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court. He will return to court to be sentenced on Friday 3 July 2026.
Detective Inspector Shaun Inkpen, of Dorset Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT), said: “First and foremost I want to praise the victim for the courage she has shown, initially to come forward and report these serious sexual offences and then for her support and resilience throughout the investigation and justice process. This has been crucial in holding her attacker to account for his despicable actions that night.
“I hope the bravery she has shown gives other victims of rape and sexual offences the strength to come forward in the knowledge that they will be supported and we will do everything we can to identify and prosecute perpetrators for such serious crimes.
“Mohammed Abdullah preyed upon a vulnerable victim as she walked alone that night and subjected her to a horrific sexual attack. He has rightly been found guilty of committing two serious sexual assaults.
“Finally, I would like to thank my team who carried out a detailed investigation and The Crown Prosecution Service, Wessex RASSO Unit, for their valuable support and assistance throughout the justice process.
“I acknowledge incidents such as this have a significant impact on the local community, but would also like to take this opportunity to urge people not to speculate or share information online unless it can be verified and is from a trusted source.”
If you have been a victim of rape or sexual assault, and you want to report directly to the police, please call 101 and ask to be put in contact with a specially-trained police officer. Always dial 999 in an emergency. Alternatively, you can contact The Shores Sexual Assault Referral Centre on 0800 970 9954.
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