Full Breakdown
Sexual Assault Trial Stems from Christmas-Day Encounter in Nottingham City Centre
7/15/2026, 8:47:14 PM
Incident Overview
On 25 December 2024, Yibrah Tesfamichael, 31, was alleged to have touched a woman’s inner trousers while they were in an alleyway off Glasshouse Street, near the Victoria Centre. The prosecutor described the setting as an alley behind The New Forester’s pub where the woman was walking to catch a taxi. Security guards later observed Tesfamichael following her. Tesfamichael, who arrived in the United Kingdom from Eritrea in 2019 and holds indefinite leave to remain, denies the single count of sexual assault for which he is on trial.
Legal Proceedings
The case is being heard in Nottingham Crown Court. Prosecutor Luc Chignell framed the matter as “a simple, straightforward and serious case of alleged sexual assault… without her consent.” Defence barrister Mark Roochove questioned Tesfamichael about the sequence of events, to which the defendant responded that the woman invited him to find a lighter for a cigarette after a brief exchange. The trial remains ongoing, with both parties presenting their evidence.
Divergent Accounts
Tesfamichael testified, through a Tigrinya interpreter, that the woman was “happy” to be touched, describing his contact as a brief, light massage lasting “three to five seconds.” In contrast, the alleged victim testified that she felt “like I was being hunted… it felt like a horror movie,” describing the encounter as “sinister” and asserting that Tesfamichael was “adamant to get to me.” The prosecutor highlighted the lack of consent, while the defence emphasized the woman’s alleged invitation.
Verbatim Quotes
- “He said: “I said to her ‘if you are cold you can be with me’ and she was happy to go with me.” — Yibrah Tesfamichael.
- “She was happy, I was massaging her, I touched her lightly, it was not a strong touch, like a massage for three to five seconds.” — Yibrah Tesfamichael.
- “It was kind of like I was being hunted, it felt like a horror movie, there was a sinister feel about it, it was like he was adamant to get to me.” — alleged victim.
- “Those three words - without her consent - are a key part of this case.” — Luc Chignell.
- “She then said ‘let’s get a lighter’ and I said ‘OK’.” — alleged victim (as recounted by the defendant).
Current Status
The jury continues to hear testimony. No verdict has been reached, and the court has not scheduled a sentencing date pending the trial’s conclusion.
