BILAL HAIDER AND SHOCKING SEXUAL ASSAULT IN OXFORD ON COWLEY ROAD
In a disturbing case that has shocked the residents of Oxford, Bilal Haider, aged 27, has been found guilty of a serious sexual assault that took place on Cowley Road.Haider, who was employed at a local takeaway and a Tesco supermarket while pursuing his master's degree, was caught through a combination of surveillance footage and forensic evidence.
The court heard a detailed account of the frightening incident involving a young woman dressed as Little Red Riding Hood.
On a chilly early November evening in 2021, the victim had been enjoying a night out at the Fishies club night held at the Oxford O2 Academy.
After the event, she had been walking home along Cowley Road, a well-known arterial route in Oxford lined with shops, bars, and eateries.
During her walk, the victim was alone and had recently lent her phone to a friend, losing sight of her companion.
Despite having consumed alcohol during the night, she was described as not being visibly intoxicated.
As she made her way eastward along Cowley Road, a man in a Lonsdale tracksuit, later identified as Bilal Haider, was observed on CCTV running after her.
The court proceedings revealed that Haider, who at the time was working shifts at the takeaway and Tesco, had photos on his phone depicting various young women, although none were related to the victim.
Prosecutor Henry James explained to the jury that the woman heard footsteps behind her and overheard a man’s voice asking if he could kiss her, which she refused.
Despite her refusal, the man persisted by offering money, attempting to kiss her, and then escalating to physical assault by groping her and pushing his hand beneath her dress.
The victim was described as 'terrified' during the encounter.
Frightened and distressed, the woman managed to escape and ran to a nearby university halls on Glanville Road, where she knocked on a security guard’s window to seek help.
The guard checked on her well-being, and she was eventually able to return home.
She confided in friends about her ordeal, but only later did she report what had happened to the police.
It was during a police investigation into a missing child that she was found distressed on a bridge in Oxford, at which point she disclosed the details of the assault.
Authorities used CCTV footage to trace Haider’s movements backwards along Cowley Road all the way to the takeaway where he was employed.
When detectives visited the premises, they found Haider working behind the counter.
Forensic tests on the woman’s Little Red Riding Hood cape revealed DNA evidence linking him to the crime, specifically saliva on the fabric that matched his DNA profile.
During the trial, Haider denied the sexual assault allegations, claiming that he only saw the woman fall to the ground and assisted her back to her feet, helping her cross the street.
However, the jury did not accept this version of events.
After more than six and a half hours of deliberation, they reached a unanimous verdict of guilty on charges of sexual assault.
Later, they also convicted him by a majority of 10 to 2 on the more serious charge of sexual penetration.
Judge Michael Gledhill KC addressed Haider directly, stating, “You have been convicted on very clear evidence, in my judgment, of these three serious sexual offences.” As a result, Haider, who resides on Hawkins Street in Oxford, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
The judge also ordered that he remains on the sex offender register for life, reflecting the gravity of his crimes and the justice served for the victim.
