WHEN Oliwia Zawislak found herself pushed into a stranger’s house after being grabbed while walking home late at night, her mind raced with how she could escape.
Her attacker, 20-year-old Iranian migrant Abdolrahman Banafsha, had followed her along a dark street in before dragging her into his home in a terrifying ambush.
Oliwia Zawislak had been out with her mum and friends when she was sexually assaultedCredit: SWNS
Migrant Abdolrahman Banafsha, 20, pushed Oliwia to the ground and tried kissing her and began touching her breasts, legs and over her clothingCredit: SWNS
Oliwia found herself pushed into Banafsha’s house after he grabbed her while walking home late at nightCredit: SWNS
She rushed to the bathroom, but Banafsha, who arrived in the , pushed her to the ground, attempting to kiss her and began touching her breasts, legs and over her clothing.
She screamed and kicked him off before managing to flee from the house – but student Oliwia, 19, has now bravely waived her anonymity to tell The Sun about her terrifying ordeal.
She has been left questioning how it could be that Banafsha could leave her fearing for her life after claiming his own life was in danger in his home country of .
Oliwia had been out in Cheltenham with her mum and friends when Banafsha walked past her on August 31 last year, at around midnight.
She had decided to go home early as she had work the next day, but was unaware that Banafsha had turned around and followed her at a distance after spotting her alone.
After stalking her down the street, he then got hold of her from behind after she tripped over in a side street and picked her up off the floor.
Terrifyingly, Oliwia has no idea how long her might have been following her for.
In panic, Oliwia tried to walk away, but his grip was tight, and in a desperate bid to deter him, she told him she said she had a boyfriend and needed to go home.
She tried to get into a nearby pub, where she asked if she could use their toilets, hoping that they would understand she needed help, but she was told that the pub was shut.
Banafsha then grabbed Oliwia by the arm and dragged her away, back towards his house nearby.
Recalling the assault, Oliwia, a university student from Gloucester, said: “I remember he forcefully pushing me into the house, and I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen.
“I tried to come up with a plan in my head where I’d use the bathroom and then just leave the house.
Once inside his house, she ran to the bathroom to try and plan her exit – but Banafsha pushed the teen to the ground before sexually assaulting her.
She added: “As I tried to run out, he pushed me to the floor and he had both of my wrists pinned back and onto the floor.
“I started to panic because I realised I couldn’t get away at that moment in time. I was just telling myself to prepare for the worst.
“He kept trying to kiss me all over my face, and my neck, and he had his hands underneath the top I was wearing and was trying to get into my jeans.”
He said that he left his country because he was scared for his life.
Oliwia Zawislak
If he had actually felt so scared for his life, he wouldn’t put that fear upon somebody else. That’s what he did to me
Bravely fighting back, she eventually managed to break free and ran into the street.
She says: “I realised I still had my legs free, so I just kicked him with all the force and the energy that I had in my legs and ran out of the apartment and called my boyfriend straight away, telling him what happened.”
Banafsha was arrested by police later that day and held in custody until his sentencing in November.
Then he was sentenced to 27 months in a young offender’s institution for the sick attack.
Banafsha was an asylum seeker from who had travelled to the UK by a small boat in March 2024, as he believed his life was at risk.
University student Oliwia, 19, has bravely waived her anonymity to tell of her ordealCredit: SWNS
CCTV shows Banafsha grabbing Oliwia by the arm and dragging her towards his house in CheltenhamCredit: SWNS
He had been living in outside of Gloucestershire, and had travelled to Cheltenham for the weekend to stay with a friend.
Speaking about how he was able to claim asylum in the UK, Oliwia said: “He said that he left his country because he was scared for his life.
“If he had actually felt so scared for his life, he wouldn’t put that fear upon somebody else. That’s what he did to me.”
She told how, since then, she has struggled with being touched by her long-time boyfriend and has even changed her look.
She said: “I didn’t want to be touched for a while, and I really struggled being on my own. Any time I had work, I’d have to have my boyfriend pick me up or take me to work because I didn’t want to walk on my own.
“I struggled being home alone. I don’t think I’m the same person that I was, not just mentally, but physically. I dyed my hair black, and I got a bunch of . I just didn’t want to look like that anymore.
“My boyfriend has been really good, supportive and helping me try to heal from this trauma.”
Oliwia has revealed she has changed her look since the attack, and opened up on how she struggles being home aloneCredit: SWNS
Oliwia seen escaping Banafsha’s home after the attackCredit: SWNS
Banafsha was charged with attempted rape, and his trial started on September 22 last year.
During the first day of his trial, CCTV of the victim fleeing his address was played to the court along with a video interview the police had conducted with the victim.
He then entered guilty pleas the next day for two counts of sexual assault, and the Crown, Oliwia and the police accepted this.
One count of sexual assault related to Banafsha touching Oliwia’s breasts under her clothing.
The second count of sexual assault related to him touching her between her legs and over her clothing.
‘Utterly terrifying ordeal’
To this day, Oliwia can’t understand why Banafsha kept on assaulting her when she shouted and told him to stop.
She says: “I don’t understand why even after I pushed him off and ran out, he just still continued to follow me as if he wasn’t done.
“I just don’t understand how my screaming and telling him to stop wasn’t enough.”
During the court case, the probation service thought Banafsha was a high risk of harm to the public, particularly to females.
Sentencing Banafsha, His Honour Judge Julian Lambert said: “This was an utterly terrifying ordeal and victim impact is most profound. People often simply can’t put something like this behind them.
“Assessing culpability, I note an element of predatory about you. I found that from the way in which you were stalking the streets and your persistence with your victim.”
I don’t understand why even after I pushed him off and ran out he just still continued to follow me as if he wasn’t done with what he was doing
Oliwia Zawislak
Judge Lambert sentenced Banafsha to 27 months in a young offender’s institution for both counts, to run concurrently.
He will also be placed on the for 10 years and must notify the police of his address during this time.
Oliwia decided to waive her anonymity to inspire other women who have been abused in the past to come forward.
She says: “If I didn’t have all these people around me telling me to report it, I would not have done it. It is very valuable for me to put it out there and to actually take the step.
“A lot of women don’t do it, and I think it’s important that more women start to do it if they’ve been through it.”
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Helen Goode, said: “The victim has been so brave throughout this entire process, and I thank her for working with us.
“Everyone should be able to go about their daily lives without being targeted by perpetrators who want to commit crimes for their own sexual gratification.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Any foreign national is immediately referred to the Home Office for deportation.
“Under the UK Borders Act 2007, a deportation order must be made where a foreign national has been convicted of an offence and received a custodial sentence of 12 months or more.”
Banafsha is now set to be served with deportation orders under Home Office guidance.
To report a rape or other sexual offences, call 999 in an emergency, or report by calling 101.
Migrant Banafsha had made his way into the UK by dinghy – claiming he feared for his life in Iran (stock)Credit: Getty
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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