Wigan Horror: Intoxicated Woman Lured and Assaulted in Alley
Bolton Crown Court was told how a 37-year-old woman out socialising in Wigan’s town centre was targeted in the early hours of December 18. She’d become separated from her friends when 27-year-old Eritrean national Ablolom Okbazge spotted her “heavily intoxicated” and decided to make his move.
CCTV footage revealed Okbazge changed direction to approach the woman. He then exploited her paralytic state, leading her down a dark alley off King Street to a secluded fire escape. There, the court heard, he subjected her to an hour-long sexual assault.
Taxi Driver’s Shocking Account: Victim Too Drunk to Pay Fare
After the attack, the traumatised woman was helped into a taxi and driven home. The driver told police she was so drunk she tried to pay the fare twice. The next day, she confided in her sister that she believed she’d been raped.
Asylum Hotel Shock: Perpetrator Arrested at Standish Britannia Hotel
Okbazge was staying at the Britannia Hotel in Standish, which houses asylum seekers under a government scheme. Police arrested him there the following day. He was remanded in custody awaiting trial.
The hotel has been mired in controversy, with local parents warning their children to stay indoors due to asylum seekers’ behaviour. In September, the nearby secondary school issued a “Stranger Danger Alert” after reports of men filming girls’ PE lessons and intimidating locals.
Victim Speaks Out; Detective Praises Her Bravery
“What happened to me will live with me for the rest of my life. I burst into tears regularly, especially when I think about what happened… It invades my daily life and sneaks into my head every day — no matter how hard I try to stop it,” the victim told the court.
Detective Constable Ray Williams of Greater Manchester Police said: “This has been a very traumatic ordeal for the victim from the moment she was approached in the street and led into the alleyway, right up to today. What Okbazge did is likely to affect her for the rest of her life.”
“Thanks to her resilience and bravery in reporting this, we’ve managed to put a dangerous man behind bars and hopefully prevent others from suffering the same fate.”
Deportation Delays Loom Amid Human Rights Standoff
The court heard Okbazge is expected to be deported upon release. However, delays are possible if he challenges removal under European human rights laws — a tactic seen with other foreign national offenders.
Community on Edge: Asylum Seekers Spark Safety Fears
- Parents near the Britannia Hotel have kept their daughters home amid concerns over asylum seekers’ behaviour.
- The local MP Lisa Nandy criticised Serco and the Home Office for block-booking the hotel without warning locals.
- Previous incidents at the hotel include a 17-year-old charged with sexual touching of a child under 13.
- Similar safety concerns and disturbances reported in other asylum seeker hotels across the UK.
This case shines a harsh light on the mounting tension between local communities and government policies over asylum seeker accommodation. Residents demand urgent action to stop dangerous individuals slipping through the cracks.
