Man jailed for year after locking up housing officer

A TERRIFIED Oldham housing officer thought she was going to be attacked and raped when an asylum seeker lured her into his bathroom and bolted the door behind them, a court heard.

The distraught young woman yelled at him to let her out, then jumped into the bath and threw anything that came to hand as he approached.

She managed to unlock the door despite being grabbed by the arm by 36-year old Ahmed Altheferee. She was so frightened she jumped over a bannister rail and fell halfway down the stairs in panic.

Manchester Crown Court was told the Kuwaiti defendant claimed to be suffering post traumatic stress disorder after being tortured in his homeland before fleeing to the UK.

Married Altheferee, who pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, was told by Judge Timothy Mort: “She was just doing her job trying to help you, but she thought you were going to rape her. She was terrified.”

Jailing Altheferee for 12 months, he added: “It’s clear that you had a plan because you followed her into the bathroom then locked the door.”

The housing official had been making a routine inspection at the property in Chapel Road, Oldham, when the drama unfolded.

Altheferee afterwards told police he had lost control of his behaviour. Caroline Patrick, defending, said her client wanted to apologise wholeheartedly for his behaviour.

His victim said the experience had made her nervous and jumpy.

Altheferee’s status is under review by the immigration authorities.