A 33-year-old Syrian refugee has been sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting two women in Falkirk, Scotland, in November 2024. Muhammad Sheikhi, who arrived in the UK by small boat, was found guilty by a jury in May 2025 of two separate attacks committed within an hour of each other in the early hours of a Sunday morning.
Sheikhi was sentenced at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Friday, where Sheriff Keith O’Mahony described the assaults as ‘deliberate and predatory’. The sheriff imposed a sentence at the upper end of his powers, stating that Sheikhi’s actions showed a ‘complete disregard for the autonomy and dignity’ of his victims. Both women, aged in their early 20s, had been walking home alone after nights out in Falkirk town centre when they were targeted.
In addition to his prison term, Sheikhi was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and issued a 10-year non-harassment order, barring him from contacting or approaching either victim. The court heard that CCTV footage placed Sheikhi near the locations of both attacks, and he was later arrested in his room at the Cladhan Hotel in Falkirk, where he had been residing.
Details of the attacks
The first assault occurred near a railway bridge on Kerse Lane, where Sheikhi hugged, kissed, and touched the first victim under her skirt. The second attack took place nearby in Kerse Lane and at the Bellsmeadow skate park, where he pinned the second victim against a tree and put his hands under her clothing. Both women were strangers to Sheikhi, who had denied any sexual contact, telling police: ‘Only animals would do that publicly.’
Sheikhi’s defence team, led by Paul Keenan, argued that their client was a Syrian refugee who fled ISIS and maintained his innocence throughout the trial. The prosecution, however, presented evidence including CCTV footage, witness testimony, and forensic analysis that led to the conviction.
Reactions and broader context
The case has drawn attention amid ongoing debates over immigration and asylum policies in the UK. The Cladhan Hotel, where Sheikhi was staying, has been the site of repeated protests by pro- and anti-immigration groups. In June 2025, another asylum seeker, Sadeq Nikzad, 29, was convicted of raping a 15-year-old girl in Falkirk town centre, further intensifying local tensions.
The father of one of Sheikhi’s victims publicly criticised the UK Government, stating: ‘If the Government had done its job correctly, Sheikhi wouldn’t be in this country and this wouldn’t have happened.’ He added that Sheikhi ‘shouldn’t be in this country – he’s illegal.’
Sheikhi’s legal team has not indicated whether they will appeal the conviction or sentence.