Victim followed and offered help before being taken to house in Abbey Hey
Mohammed Al Masri, 25, has been jailed for eight years after a jury found him guilty of raping a woman who had been on her way home from drinks in Manchester. The sentence was handed down at Minshull Street Crown Court on Friday.
The offence took place on 22 December after the woman had left a night out and was walking through Piccadilly Gardens. The court heard Al Masri and another man approached her, offered to get her a taxi and persuaded her into a vehicle. Inside the taxi she felt unsafe and later passed out, according to evidence presented at trial.
Attack took place at address in Abbey Hey
Instead of taking her home as she believed, Al Masri took the woman to a house in Abbey Hey. There, while a second man remained in the room, Al Masri raped her.
Police were alerted after the woman's boyfriend contacted officers, having received her location. Greater Manchester Police traced the address and found the woman upstairs; Al Masri was arrested at the property. The second man arrested was later released without charge, prosecutors said.
"I will never forget the fear that I felt when this man took me to his house. I had no idea who he was. I had no idea where I was, I genuinely questioned if I would leave this place with my life."
The victim's impact statement, read at the sentencing hearing, described her belief she might die and her thoughts for her children during the attack. Al Masri denied the offence at trial and claimed the encounter was consensual, but the jury found him guilty in July.
Judge orders restraining order and long-term prevention order
Alongside the custodial sentence, Al Masri was issued with a restraining order and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order lasting 10 years. The Sexual Harm Prevention Order is intended to impose prohibitions and monitoring conditions designed to protect potential victims and reduce the risk of further offending.
- Offender: Mohammed Al Masri, 25
- Conviction: Rape (found guilty at trial in July)
- Sentence: Eight years' imprisonment
- Additional orders: Restraining order; 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order
- Locations involved: Picadilly Gardens; taxi; house in Abbey Hey
The case will be of concern to many in Manchester because it involves a seemingly ordinary act of kindness — offering to help someone upset on the street — used as a pretext for a violent sexual assault. Police and prosecutors stressed the sequence of events: the pair approached the woman, offered assistance by arranging transport to her home, then accompanied her into a taxi and later into a private address.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Court | Minshull Street Crown Court |
| Date of offence | 22 December |
| Convicted | July (trial verdict) |
| Sentence | 8 years' imprisonment |
| Orders | Restraining order; 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order |
Greater Manchester Police carried out the investigation after the woman's boyfriend tracked her location and alerted officers. The force located the address and found the woman in bed upstairs; Al Masri was arrested at the scene.
At sentencing, prosecutors described the defendant as a "vile sex predator" who exploited the victim's vulnerability. The court's decisions — a substantial prison term and long-term protective orders — reflect the seriousness with which the criminal justice system treated the offence.
For residents, the case is a reminder about staying vigilant when offered help by strangers and the value of sharing location information with someone trusted during vulnerable journeys home. Police statements indicate the prompt action by the victim's partner and officers was key to bringing the matter to a swift conclusion.
Anyone with information about similar incidents is urged to contact Greater Manchester Police. Support services are also available for survivors of sexual violence.
