A British court has ruled that imprisoning an "extremely dangerous" migrant convicted of sexually assaulting a teenager could be a violation of human rights

Hassan Abou Hayleh attacked a 19-year-old girl in the UK while wandering the area at 3 a.m. in search of vulnerable, intoxicated women to harass. The Syrian migrant was scheduled to be sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday, but the hearing was postponed after his defense lawyer argued that imprisonment could breach his human rights, according to the Norwegian news portal Document.

Hayleh’s lawyer claimed he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after being tortured in a Syrian prison under the regime of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

The defense argued that a prison sentence would worsen the defendant’s condition, The Telegraph reported.

@JimFergusonUK
Hassan Abou Hayleh, 39, attacked a 19 year-old girl waiting for a lift home. But instead of justice being served, his legal team argues that his PTSD from past experiences in Syria makes prison „inhumane.”

„JUDGES WARN PRISON COULD ‘BREACH HIS HUMAN RIGHTS!” pic.twitter.com/ipDF39TuGB

— 𝑏𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 (@jssie_poon) February 21, 2025

„Most normal people would feel anxiety at the prospect of spending years behind bars. But is that a reason not to punish serious criminals? Being subjected to torture is obviously terrible, but is it an excuse? Where are the fact-checkers regarding this Syrian’s claims?” the British paper questioned.

The lawyer argued that PTSD has several symptoms that imprisonment would aggravate. “His condition will deteriorate without the support of his wife and friends,” the lawyer emphasized, contending that the court must determine whether a prison sentence would violate Article 3 of the Human Rights Act and constitute inhumane and degrading treatment for the migrant.

The Syrian immigrant was found guilty of sexual harassment during a trial last November. Following the verdict, the judge stated:

“Based on the evidence I have seen, you are potentially a very dangerous person. I shudder to think what could have happened.”

However, the judge has now promised to proceed with caution and postponed sentencing to obtain a more detailed assessment of Hayleh. “Many convicts experience a decline in mental health during imprisonment. But we will proceed with the utmost care and caution regarding Hayleh’s PTSD, which was caused by torture he endured in a Syrian prison under the Assad regime,” the court stated.