Sunderland barber jailed for sex attacks on schoolgirls

Aram Abdulrahman, of Sunderland, “pinned” one of the victims to a sofa and subjected the other to a 20 minute ordeal.The 41-year-old, who runs his own barber shop, denied two charges of sexual assault but was convicted by a jury after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.One of the victims, in an impact statement, said: “Sometimes I see a yellow car that looks like his when I’m out. When I see it I feel anxious, like I can’t breathe properly.“I used to have nightmares that he was trying to kill me for telling the police.”The other girl said: “I feel angry. I never want to see his face again.”Judge Robert Spragg sentenced Abdulrahman, of Sandringham Road, Sunderland, to three years behind bars with lifelong sex offender registration and sexual harm prevention order.Judge Spragg told him: “These offences are clearly so serious only an immediate custodial penalty is appropriate.”The judge said Abdulrahman, who appeared at the hearing via video link to prison, was a “hard working man” who set up his own barbers shop after he moved to the UK due to the political situation in his homeland.He continued to financially support his mother in Iraq after he was granted permission to remain.David Lamb, defending, said a prison term would have an impact on Abdulrahman’s business and put his home at risk.The court heard Abdulrahman has never serve a jail sentence before but has convictions for mainly motoring offences.He has no convictions for previous sexual offending.