BADR ALHADIDI AND DHARI ALSHAMMARI SENTENCED FOR KIDNAPPING AND SEXUAL ASSAULT IN BIRMINGHAM AND WANDSWORTH

In a disturbing case that unfolded across several London boroughs, two men, Badr Alhadidi and Dhari Alshammari, were convicted and sentenced for their involvement in the kidnapping and sexual assault of two women. The incident, which took place in the early hours of a summer morning, has shocked the local communities and highlighted the importance of diligent police work in bringing offenders to justice.

On Saturday, July 16, 2022, at approximately 5:30 am, the two suspects targeted their victims at a nightclub situated along Albert Embankment in Vauxhall. The women, who had been enjoying an evening out, were approached on the dancefloor by Alhadidi and Alshammari. CCTV footage from inside the club revealed that Dhari Alshammari was seen pouring vodka into glasses, possibly to facilitate the assault, while Badr Alhadidi waited outside the women’s toilets, seemingly acting as a lookout.

By around 6 am, the four individuals left the nightclub together. The suspects then forcibly took the women into a vehicle, driving them to an address at Beauchamp Mansions in Kensington. Surveillance footage from nearby locations captured Alshammari dragging one of the women along the pavement, an act that underscored the violence and coercion involved. The women were then forced through a doorway into a property where Alshammari committed a sexual assault, raping one of the victims.

Following the assault, Alshammari left the scene to order food from a nearby McDonald's before returning to his residence. Meanwhile, Alhadidi drove one of the women to a petrol station in a different part of London and then abandoned her. One of the victims later reported to police that she had been out for the night but could not recall certain parts of the evening. She remembered being pinned down in a car and sexually assaulted in a room, details that prompted a thorough police investigation.

Detectives meticulously examined hours of CCTV footage, tracking the movements of the suspects across London. They also analyzed data from the suspects’ phones, which provided crucial evidence linking them to the crimes. The investigation culminated in the arrest of both men on Monday, July 18, 2022, just two days after the incident. During police interviews, both suspects viewed CCTV footage of the events and displayed a dismissive attitude, laughing and claiming that the victims were sober and had consented to the acts.

Legal proceedings followed swiftly. On July 27, 2022, Dhari Alshammari was formally charged with kidnapping and one count of rape. On the same day, Badr Alhadidi faced charges of kidnapping, three counts of rape, and sexual assault by penetration. The court found Alhadidi guilty of kidnapping but acquitted him of the rape and sexual assault charges. Conversely, Alshammari was convicted of both kidnapping and rape, leading to significant prison sentences.

Alhadidi, a 39-year-old man from Talbot Street, Birmingham, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison. Dhari Alshammari, aged 28 and residing on Hester Road in Wandsworth, received a sentence of nine and a half years and will be registered as a sex offender for life. The sentences reflect the severity of their crimes and serve as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to combat sexual violence and protect victims in London and beyond.