A Nigerian man who sexually assaulted a 19-year-old woman near Bournemouth beach in August 2022 has avoided jail, following a court ruling delivered this week and reported by the Daily Mail on August 12, 2025, leaving the victim shaken and afraid to walk alone.
Ayomide Famakinde, 23, received an 18-month community order and was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work. The judge described the attack as a “momentary lapse” linked to his “troubled background and difficult life,” according to the Daily Mail.
The incident unfolded late at night when the victim and a friend were leaving the beach. Famakinde, reportedly intoxicated by alcohol or drugs, approached the teenager and forcibly put his hands down her jogging bottoms. She tried to push him away, but they fell to the ground. Only when a companion intervened did he stop and walk away, leaving her in tears and distressed.
In a victim impact statement read in court, she said: “He ruined my life. I now feel scared walking alone on the street. Thinking about that night still makes me feel sick to my stomach. I didn’t see him coming, and I certainly didn’t ask him to ruin my life.”
Prosecutors confirmed DNA evidence linked Famakinde to the assault, leading to a conviction for one count of sexual assault.
Famakinde, a south London gym instructor who moved to Britain as a child with his older sister and spent time in the care system, expressed remorse through his lawyer. The defence argued that the assault was out of character, emphasising his previous good conduct and potential for rehabilitation.
Recorder Nicholas Haggan KC, who presided over the case, said Famakinde had “matured significantly” in the three years since the offence and had committed no further crimes. He added that a community-based sentence offered the best chance for rehabilitation while acknowledging the seriousness of the assault.
The case has reignited public debate over leniency in sexual assault cases, with many questioning whether justice is truly served when victims are left feeling unsafe. Experts and advocacy groups stress that sentences must reflect the lifelong impact such crimes have on survivors, a concern echoed in the victim’s emotional testimony.
For the teenager, the ordeal has had lasting consequences. She said simple acts, like walking to the store or going out at night, now fill her with fear and anxiety, a stark reminder of how a single moment of violence can alter a life forever.
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