Latest news with #NasserAlGherainiq
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Daily Mail
How a camel herder from Qatar who can't speak a word of English ended up living in London's smartest street - then tried to rape a woman in a private heart clinic where HE was being treated
Standing in the dock at Southwark Crown Court this week was Nasser Al-Gherainiq who was convicted of two counts of attempted rape which left his victim 'frozen with fear'. Her words. The appearance of this foreign national in court – a scene replicated up and down the country – has become frighteningly common, with foreign offenders now representing nearly one in eight (12 per cent) prisoners in our overcrowded jails. But surely few have a story quite like 27-year-old Al-Gherainiq who was, until his arrest at least, a camel herder from a conservative Bedouin tribe in the deserts of Qatar. According to his barrister, he had little contact with the outside world or any experience of modern or urban life before his arrival in the UK to receive treatment for a rare heart condition at a private health unit linked to the renowned Royal Brompton Hospital in south-west London. Al-Gherainiq, dressed in standard prison 'greys' (grey sweatshirt, grey trousers), was effectively from a different age, in other words. It was the reason why, when asked how he was going to plead, Al-Gherainiq, who spoke no English, answered in Arabic and an interpreter next to him then replied: 'Not guilty.' Profound cultural differences, the defence argued, meant he did not know how to interact with women. He was 'equivalent to an immature and inexperienced adolescent' who 'completely failed to understand' his victim's 'true feelings'. Put bluntly, they argued that he did not know the woman had not consented to sex when he pulled her into a toilet cubicle at the medical centre and assaulted her. The jury flatly rejected that version of events. He might have come from a remote corner of the earth, but the judge told Al-Gherainiq: 'You knew perfectly well what you were doing,' before jailing him for seven years. The case left a number of puzzling and troubling questions. How did he get here? Who paid for his treatment and the trip? Where did he stay when he came to London? The last of these is perhaps the key to unlocking this quite extraordinary saga. Al-Gherainiq, who spent more than a year on remand before going on trial, came to the country sometime in 2023, the first time he had ever left Qatar. He appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court in August of that year following his arrest. His address was given as 79 Mount Street. Mount Street, currently perhaps the most glamorous address in London, is in the heart of Mayfair. It's home to Scott's restaurant as well as George, an ultra-exclusive private members' club, and Toteme, the chic Swedish fashion brand which has also opened a signature store there. It is also an area which is sometimes known as 'Little Doha' or 'Qataropolis' because of the number of multi-million-pound Qatari-owned properties in the highly exclusive enclave. Number 79 is a six-storey Victorian townhouse that was once the London residence of homeware tycoon David Meller, a former vice chairman of Watford Football Club. When he sold the mansion for more than £40million in 2015, it was among the most expensive domestic property deals in the capital at the time. The stamp duty payment alone was in excess of £4.7million. Hard to imagine then what connection an apparently lowly camel herder – and now convicted sex attacker – had with such a place. The connection, however, is revealed at the Land Registry where the current owners who purchased the property from the Mellers (for precisely £44.25million) are listed as the 'State of Qatar', effectively the Thani dynasty, the ruling family of the oil and gas rich Gulf state. Qatar is one of the few countries in the world that offers near free universal healthcare to all its citizens which includes sending them overseas if certain specialised services are unavailable at home. Among the foreign cities where Qatar has medical offices is London which is linked to the Hamad Medical Corporation back in the Middle East, Qatar's main not-for-profit health care provider. In 2023, 53,000 Qataris applied to receive treatment abroad. Al-Gherainiq was one of them. After a series of medical checks in his homeland, he was flown to London, a Qatari official with knowledge of the case revealed, and was initially given a daily allowance to cover his accommodation costs. His private housing arrangements fell through at the last minute, though, and the Qatari Embassy stepped in to help him. No 79 Mount Street, once a family home with a swimming pool in the basement, and now split up into separate rooms and apartments, is managed by the embassy and used for functions and events. On rare occasions, as in this instance, ordinary Qatari citizens can temporarily be given a room as 'emergency accommodation'. This is how a camel herder from the desert came to be living on Millionaire's Row. 'The Embassy of the State of Qatar in London is aware of a criminal case involving one of its citizens and his subsequent conviction,' the official said. 'The Embassy has had no contact with the individual since the time of his arrest and has not provided legal representation or support beyond standard consular assistance, in accordance with international consular norms.' Al-Gherainiq was evicted from Mount Street after the police contacted the embassy following his arrest. Locals say residents at the palatial property which occupies 10,000 square feet and is close to the private health unit in Wimpole Street where Al-Gherainiq was a patient, are not long-term, staying a maximum of a few months before moving on. They are often picked up by luxury cars such as Ferraris, Aston Martins and Lamborghinis. A team of security guards monitor comings and goings from the property next door, which the Qataris also own. Relations between the Qatari contingent and neighbours are often strained. 'They think they own the street,' said a builder carrying out work at a house on the opposite side of the road. They probably do, given that even a few years ago, a quarter of Mayfair's 279 acres and more than 4,300 residential properties, were reportedly owned by Qatari investors. The contrast between this world and the world Nasser Al-Gherainiq inhabited couldn't be more stark. He belonged to the Al Murrah tribe – the 'People of the Camel' – the largest and most powerful in Qatar, which has strong relations, including marital ties, with the ruling House of Thani. Qatar might combine Arab culture with Western luxuries epitomised by the bling, glamour and gleaming skyscrapers of the capital Doha, but it remains a deeply patriarchal society. Polygamy is legal, meaning a Muslim man is allowed up to four wives at once provided he treats them equally. Opaque male guardianship rules leave women without basic freedoms, such as travelling on their own with women needing permission to travel abroad from the male head of the household, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). And only 45 minutes from Doha and its surrounding suburbs is the desert. Many of the Al Murrah tribe, which is made up of various clans, have joined government sponsored resettlement programmes in urban areas. But a hardcore, like Al-Gherainiq, remain in the wilderness, claiming, among other things, historic nomadic rights. Many elders here still expect women to organise their lives around domestic chores, such as weaving, shearing sheep and crafting goat-hair tents and carpets for which they have become famous. Al-Gherainiq himself, the court heard, had almost no contact with women outside his family and his only really 'meaningful contact' with a female in the family was with his mother. 'Limited visits to Doha and a preference for a desert environment curtailed his exposure to urban and modern societal norms,' said Jane Bickerstaff, KC, defending. It might explain his unhealthy attitude to women but how could it possibly justify dragging a woman into a toilet cubicle and attempting to rape her twice? 'I was so scared,' his victim said in a statement read to the court. 'I felt frozen with fear. I couldn't go anywhere. Although the incident lasted a few minutes it felt like ages to me... my life has never been the same... I am not the outgoing woman I used to be. I am withdrawn and highly anxious and overly cautious, especially when I'm on my own in an unfamiliar environment.' The fact this incident happened in a top medical centre is particularly chilling. The woman, who is receiving therapy, still has difficulty sleeping and has nightmares and flashbacks. She has withdrawn from work and church, 'two things she loved', Judge Adam Hiddleston said. 'Clearly what you did has had a devastating effect on her,' he told Al-Gherainiq. 'There is evidence of severe psychological harm.' He added: 'I appreciate the cultural differences between the world in which you grew up and in the United Kingdom.' But he rejected any suggestion that his sentence should therefore be reduced. The judge made a recommendation that he should be deported to Qatar 'as soon as possible' once he has served his sentence. In fact, he wants to go back, his barrister said, because 'there is no reason for him to apply to remain here'. While it's not known if Al-Gherainiq got his heart treatment, this statement suggests it is not an outstanding issue. The Qatari Embassy, which housed Al-Gherainiq after he first arrived in London, has been at the centre of controversy itself in the past and has a history of claiming diplomatic immunity when staff bring legal actions. One sexual harassment case made headlines in 2019. Mother-of-two Deanne Kingson, 58, a personal assistant, recalled how she was pestered for sex, pressed to host orgies for diplomats and go on holiday to Cuba with one of them. She told the tribunal the then deputy ambassador Fahed Al-Mushairi repeatedly tried to sleep with her and then turned his attention to her 19-year-old daughter when she refused, even offering to marry her. The case was not contested by the Qatari Embassy. A panel of tribunal judges concluded that Ms Kingson – sacked after rejecting such advances and awarded £388,920 for unfair dismissal – was seen by diplomats as being 'liable to be willing to engage in sexual conduct with male employees' because she was not Muslim. Might this then have also been the reason why camel herder Nasser Al-Gherainiq tried to rape a woman at a private clinic before sexually assaulting her on his first trip outside Qatar?
Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Qatari camel herder brought to Britain for a heart operation tried to rape woman in Chelsea hospital - then blamed it on having 'little interaction' with women in his home country
A Qatari camel herder who sexually assaulted a woman at a specialist heart clinic blamed the attack on having 'little interaction' with women in his home country. Nasser Al-Gherainiq has been jailed for seven years and will be deported after his release after dragging his woman into the toilet at the world famous Royal Brompton Hospital in Chelsea, southwest London. The 27-year-old had travelled to Britain for treatment for a rare heart condition. He dragged the woman inside the toilet cubicle on August 23, 2023, and sexually assaulted her for five minutes, Southwark Crown Court heard. He denied two counts of attempted rape and claimed that as a member of a conservative Bedouin tribe in Qatar he would not have had much contact with women outside his family. Jane Bickerstaff KC, defending, said: 'Until July 2023 he had never left Qatar. 'He would have had minimal experience engaging with women outside a family context. The only woman he would have had any meaningful contact with is his mother.' Ms Bickerstaff added: 'Limited visits to Doha and a preference for a desert environment curtailed his exposure to urban and modern societal norms. 'This defendant would have had no experience whatsoever of interacting with a woman. 'We submit that he was equivalent to an immature and inexperienced adolescent. 'He completely failed to understand her true feelings.' Jurors convicted Al-Gherainiq of the two counts of attempted rape, however, on top of sexual assault and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without their consent, to which he had previously admitted. In a victim impact statement read to the court, his victim said: 'I was so scared. I felt frozen with fear. 'I couldn't go anywhere. Although the incident lasted a few minutes it felt like ages to me. I was very shocked to hear it was only five minutes. 'A few days after the incident I had huge anxiety and fear. I could not leave the house. 'My life has never been the same. My family still do not know what happened to me. I am so close to my family. 'It has been a lonely and isolated year for me. I am not the outgoing woman I used to be. I am withdrawn and highly anxious and overly cautious, especially when I'm on my own in an unfamiliar environment.' Judge Adam Hiddleston told Al-Gherainiq, aided in the dock by an Arabic interpreter, that he accepted there were cultural difference between the UK and Qatar but added: 'You knew perfectly well what you were doing was against her wishes.' The effect his actions had on the woman had been profound, the judge added. 'She has suffered from difficulty sleeping, nightmares and flashbacks. She is now receiving therapy,' he added. 'Clearly what you did has had a devastating effect on her. There is evidence of severe psychological harm.' The judge jailed Al-Gherainiq for seven years minus the 415 days he has served on remand. He will be returned to Qatar when he has served his sentence, judge Hiddleston added.
The Sun
23-06-2025
- The Sun
Qatari camel herder who sexually assaulted woman in UK hospital blames ‘little contact with women in home country'
A QATARI camel herder who sexually assaulted a woman in a UK hospital blamed having "little interaction" with women in his home country. Nasser Al-Gherainiq dragged the victim in a toilet at the Royal Brompton Hospital in Chelsea, South West London. The 27-year-old had come to the UK from his native Qatar to receive treatment for a rare heart condition. Al-Gherainiq, who admitted sexual assault and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without their consent, was also convicted of two counts of attempted rape. He has now been jailed for seven years and will be deported once he is released. His defence lawyer Jane Bickerstaff KC told Southwark Crown Court the fiend would not have had much contact with women outside his family. She said: "Until July 2023 he had never left Qatar. He would have had minimal experience engaging with women outside a family context. "The only woman he would have had any meaningful contact with is his mother." Ms Bickerstaff said his time spent in the Qatar desert had "curtailed his exposure to urban and modern societal norms", She continued: "This defendant would have had no experience whatsoever of interacting with a woman. "We submit that he was equivalent to an immature and inexperienced adolescent. "He completely failed to understand her true feelings." The court was told Al-Gherainiq told the victim he needed to go to the toilet then pulled her inside the cubicle in the August 2023 horror. In a victim impact statement, she told how felt "so scared" and "frozen with fear". She added: "I couldn't go anywhere. Although the incident lasted a few minutes it felt like ages to me. I was very shocked to hear it was only five minutes. "A few days after the incident I had huge anxiety and fear. I could not leave the house. "My life has never been the same. My family still do not know what happened to me. I am so close to my family. "It has been a lonely and isolated year for me. I am not the outgoing woman I used to be. I am withdrawn and highly anxious and overly cautious, especially when I'm on my own in an unfamiliar environment." Judge Adam Hiddleston told Al-Gherainiq, who listened to the sentence through an Arabic interpreter, rejected his plea to impose a lower jail term due to his background. The judge said: "I appreciate the cultural differences between the world in which you grew up and in the United Kingdom. "You knew perfectly well what you were doing was against her wishes." 1
Telegraph
17-06-2025
- Telegraph
Qatari camel herder sexually assaulted woman while in UK for heart treatment
A Qatari camel herder with no experience of women outside his family carried out a sex attack at a specialist heart clinic, a court heard. Nasser al-Gherainiq assaulted the woman in a lavatory at a clinic in Marylebone linked to the Royal Brompton Hospital in Chelsea, south-west London. He had come to the UK to receive treatment for a rare heart condition. The 27-year-old told the victim he needed to go to the lavatory and then pulled her inside the cubicle, Southwark Crown Court heard. He denied two counts of attempted rape, but was convicted by a jury. Al-Gherainiq admitted sexual assault and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without their consent. In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman said: 'I was so scared. I felt frozen with fear. I couldn't go anywhere. Although the incident lasted a few minutes, it felt like ages to me. I was very shocked to hear it was only five minutes. 'My life is not the same' 'A few days after the incident I had huge anxiety and fear. I could not leave the house. My life has never been the same. My family still do not know what happened to me. I am so close to my family. 'It has been a lonely and isolated year for me. I am not the outgoing woman I used to be. I am withdrawn and highly anxious and overly cautious, especially when I'm on my own in an unfamiliar environment.' Jane Bickerstaff KC, defending, told the court: 'Once he has served his sentence he will immediately go back to Qatar. There is no reason for him to apply to remain here.' She explained that, as a member of a conservative Bedouin tribe in Qatar, Al-Gherainiq would not have had much contact with women who were not members of his family. 'Until July 2023 he had never left Qatar,' she said. 'He would have had minimal experience engaging with women outside a family context. The only woman he would have had any meaningful contact with is his mother.' Referring to a pre-sentence report prepared on behalf of the defendant Ms Bickerstaff said: 'Limited visits to Doha and a preference for a desert environment curtailed his exposure to urban and modern societal norms. 'This defendant would have had no experience whatsoever of interacting with a woman. We submit that he was equivalent to an immature and inexperienced adolescent. He completely failed to understand her true feelings.'
