Gorsedd Gardens sexual assault accused says he was only “offering” support to victim

Khalid Alahmadi has pleaded not guilty to the sexual attack in Gorsedd Gardens last September, claiming the woman approached him first.

The 23-year-old has said the victim looked like she “needed supported” after opening up about her relationship problems to him.

The trial at Newport Crown Court used CCTV footage showing Alahmadi leaving Oceana on Greyfriars Road and stopping to have a cigarette.

When the victim emerged from the door right by where he was standing, prosecutor Matthew Cobbe said the defendant had started “following her pace for pace”, however Alahmadi claims it was coincidental that he was walking behind her.

Gorsedd Gardens where the attack took place

He claims the woman followed him behind Cardiff’s New Theatre where they chatted for five minutes about the problems in her relationship. The defendant said that he waited for the woman to urinate behind the bins because he “thought she needed support.”

Previously during the trial Alahmadi said that the woman and him went to sit on the grass in Gorsedd Gardens where she put her hand down his jeans and kissed him. He said when he tried to move her hand away, she grabbed his hand and put it inside her jeans.

The sexual assault was one of three during Freshers’ Week

The CCTV evidence shown the jury shows it was raining on that evening. When asked why they decided to sit on wet grass, Alahmadi said: “We were very close to the road and we were sitting under the light. She was telling me about her private life but I didn’t ask her any questions.”

When questioned, Alahmadi denied waiting around after leaving the nightclub for a drunk woman and denied sexual assault.

The trail continues.