Injuries ‘less likely’ to have come from a fall than assault – sexual offences trial continues

A jury has heard that injuries a woman sustained after she was allegedly attacked by a man who strangled and attempted to rape her in St Helier were “less likely” to be the result of a fall than an assault.

Abdelkarim Arfaoui, 27, denies ten offences he is accused of committing aginst five different women.

Earlier this week, the jury in the case heard evidence from the first woman, through a video interview and appearing in person for cross-examination.

She described in detail how Mr Arfaoui had walked alongside her through St Helier, repeatedly said he wanted to have sex with her and “didn’t understand” when she said no.

He is then alleged to have forcibly kissed her, pushing her against a fence, and then run after her, strangled her with his arm, and tackled her to the ground. He is then alleged to have tried to rape her.

She said earlier this week that the attack took place in a public place and how she wished someone had intervened.

Setting out the case earlier this week, Crown Advocate Lauren Hallam said that the man had then gone on to attack four other women, who were just beginning their day.

The first woman described suffering “terribly” with vertigo and headaches in aftermath of the alleged attack, and she was sent for a CT scan.

When she was examined, the police medical examiner found abrasions to her chest, heel, arm and face, bruises to her leg and shoulder, and tenderness to her side.

Dr Deryn Evans, an expert witness who the court said had seen thousands of complainants over an 11-year career, said that she was “not surprised” that the woman didn’t have physical injuries like bruises. The woman had described a “chokehold”, rather than strangulation with a hand, which meant pressure was more evenly distributed.

Dr Evans added: “50% of those experiencing non-fatal strangulation will have no physical injuries.”

Advocate Greg Herold-Howes, defending, said Mr Arfaoui claimed the woman fell, rather than being tackled to the ground.

“The defendant will say that [the woman] stumbled and fell on a number of occasions,” he said.

He asked Dr Evans if the injuries could have been caused by falls.

She said she would have expected to see injuries to “bony prominences” like knees or elbows and injuries to the hands, but that the woman had bruises on her thighs and lower leg, which she said were “less likely” to be from a fall.

Commissioner Alan Binnington is presiding. The trial continues.