HOUSNY BOULAIZ FROM ASHFORD SENTENCED FOR KIDNAPPING AND SEXUAL ASSAULT IN ASHFORD

In May 2017, a disturbing incident unfolded in Ashford when a teenage girl was subjected to a terrifying assault in a local car park. The girl, who was walking home after celebrating with friends during the town’s traditional bangers-and-bonfires festivities, was suddenly targeted by Housny Boulaiz, an 18-year-old Moroccan national whose attempts to remain in Britain had been denied by the Home Office.

According to court proceedings, Boulaiz seized the girl as she made her way through the streets and forcibly dragged her into a darkened parking area behind a business on Sturry Road. The attack was interrupted by the timely intervention of three vigilant men who heard her screams and decided to act. These Good Samaritans—Charlie Vanstone, Edd Withers, and Sam Eagleson—were working for Edd’s cake delivery business at the time and happened to be nearby.

One of the witnesses, Edd Withers, 30, recounted how he first noticed something was wrong when he saw the girl being pulled into the parking lot. “I only just saw it out of the corner of my eye, but it just didn’t look right,” he explained. Recognizing the danger, he, along with Sam and Charlie, rushed to the scene. Edd described how they found Boulaiz in the act of assaulting the girl, lying on top of her. The witnesses quickly intervened, with Charlie filming the incident and then pursuing Boulaiz when he fled the scene.

Charlie, 23, recounted his experience: “I was the first to get there and asked him what he was doing before chasing after him as he ran off. We were pretty angry about what we’d seen. Before he fled, he was denying what he was up to, but it was clear he was about to have sex with the victim.” The girl was visibly shaken by the ordeal, and the three men’s quick actions likely prevented further harm.

Following the incident, Edd and Sam took the girl to her home for safety, while Charlie assisted police in their search for Boulaiz, who was then of no fixed address. Despite their efforts, Boulaiz was not immediately apprehended, and police later issued a public appeal, listing him among their ‘most wanted’ suspects.

Housny Boulaiz’s criminal history predates this attack. His convictions, dating back to 2013, include thefts, robbery, attempted robbery, and threats to kill—most notably after an assault on a man in Canterbury’s St Peter’s Street. His background reveals a pattern of predatory behavior and criminal activity, often linked to his struggles with drug addiction.

Defense lawyer John Barker revealed that Boulaiz was smuggled into the UK on a lorry at the age of 10. His early life was marked by trauma; he left Morocco at age eight after his mother reportedly threw hot oil over him, leaving permanent scars. The court heard that Boulaiz had been detained in a young offender’s institution and that deportation was likely upon the conclusion of his sentence, though that decision was outside the court’s jurisdiction.

In addition to the assault case, Boulaiz was involved in a robbery alongside two other failed asylum seekers. In August of the previous year, he, Yassine Hamadoni from Ashford, and Adil Nazar from Gillingham approached a Taiwanese student, Ting Yo Lin, on St Peter’s Street near the Black Griffin pub. Boulaiz, who claimed to be Turkish and was wearing a large blue hoodie, attempted to befriend the student but soon stole his £600 mobile phone amid the confusion. Lin expressed his disillusionment, stating, “I had been in Canterbury for a year and I had never had any problems until then—it has left me not wanting to walk alone at night.”

All three men—Boulaiz, Hamadoni, and Nazar—were convicted of robbery. Hamadoni, who was on bail during the mugging, had a criminal record that included burglary, shoplifting, and a sex offence in London. Nazar, who had prior convictions for criminal damage and shoplifting, was sentenced to 20 months in prison. The court’s findings highlight a pattern of criminal behavior among these individuals, many of whom had sought asylum but faced rejection from the authorities.

Judge Heather Norton sentenced Boulaiz to three and a half years in custody for kidnapping and sexual assault. She emphasized his predatory nature and willingness to take risks to satisfy his offending needs, which were often linked to his drug habit. The judge also recommended that Boulaiz’s rescuers be recognized with a High Sheriff’s Award for their bravery and quick thinking during the attack.