Egyptian migrant who raped Hyde Park woman could face longer sentence after judge learns of terrorism conviction

An Egyptian asylum seeker who raped a woman in Hyde Park could face a longer sentence after a judge learned that the defendant had a prior terrorist conviction that was not disclosed during mitigation. Abdelrahmen Adnan Abouelela, 42, was jailed for eight and a half years last week for luring his victim to a secluded spot in the park on November 4.

Abouelela arrived in the United Kingdom illegally in April 2023, claiming asylum on the basis that he had been held as a political prisoner and tortured in Egypt. He was arrested in Egypt in 2015 after being accused of making bombs for the Muslim Brotherhood, a banned organization in the country. Egyptian media reported that he and six others planned to bomb electricity towers and gas pipelines in the cities of Tenth of Ramadan and Bilbeis. He was convicted in his absence after escaping from Egypt and given a seven-year jail term in May 2015, according to reports. At the time of the Hyde Park assault, he was living in the four‑star Hampton by Hilton hotel in Ealing, west London, at the expense of taxpayers.

The sentencing judge, Gregory Perrins, imposed eight and a half years last week after the defendant’s barrister argued that he was of good character and should receive credit for it. Perrins said he would now consider increasing the sentence after seeing media reports about the Egyptian conviction. “I have asked this case to be listed this morning because, as you will both be aware, I sentenced this defendant last week for an offence of rape and I sentenced him to eight and a half years in prison,” the judge said. “His mitigation was put forward on the basis that the defendant was of good character and should therefore receive credit for that on the basis of that assertion.” He noted that it was widely reported in the national press over the weekend that Abouelela had in fact served a seven‑year sentence for bomb‑making in Egypt, a detail not disclosed to the court previously.

Prosecutor Martin Hooper said police and the Crown Prosecution Service were urgently making inquiries with Egyptian authorities. Defence barrister Kane Sharp said he had not been told of the convictions and only learned of them through press reports. “In terms of the court being misled I had absolutely no notion of any convictions,” Sharp said, adding that Abouelela had given evidence at trial about being a political prisoner in Egypt. The judge had previously reduced the sentence by six months from nine years to account for “good character.” He said he would also need to reconsider whether to impose an extended sentence, given the prior information and whether Abouelela meets the test of a dangerous offender.

The prosecution was urged to obtain the missing information before the resentencing hearing scheduled for October 24. Abouelela appeared in court today via video link from HMP Wandsworth, wearing a grey jumper. He repeatedly attempted to speak during the hearing, saying he wanted to “explain something,” but the judge did not allow it. He then bowed his head and said, “I don’t understand,” as the proceedings concluded for the day. Abouelela was convicted by a jury of rape at Southwark Crown Court in May. Perrins had told him previously that nothing should be taken from the victim’s vulnerability, noting she was under the influence of alcohol, and that Abouelela acted out of pure sexual desire.

Abouelela faces deportation because his sentence exceeds 12 months.