In a trial at Belfast Crown Court, a 50-year-old man, Mohammad Khader Abdel Aqel, is accused of raping a woman he met on a dating website. The jury, comprised of seven women and five men, heard that the accused and the 48-year-old woman initially connected on the Plenty Of Fish dating app. According to Crown barrister Gary McHugh KC, they exchanged messages before arranging to meet at the woman’s flat on June 10. On that date, Aqel arrived, and after a hug, the woman offered him tea, which he declined. As she went to the bathroom, she later found Aqel naked in her bed. Despite her insistence on using a condom, Aqel ignored her protests and had sex with her. The incident only stopped when she slapped him and told him to leave. Aqel denies the rape allegation, claiming the sexual intercourse was consensual. The trial is ongoing, with Aqel issuing a statement through his solicitor and subsequently refusing to comment further during police interviews.
Origin of Contact and Initial Meeting
The accused, Mohammad Khader Abdel Aqel, and the 48-year-old woman first came into contact with each other through the Plenty Of Fish dating app. They exchanged messages for a period of time before agreeing to meet for the first time at the woman’s flat in Belfast on June 10.
Use of Dating App
The use of the Plenty Of Fish dating app facilitated the initial contact between the accused and the woman. They communicated through the app and eventually agreed to meet in person, marking the beginning of their interaction outside of the online platform.
Arrangement to Meet at the Woman’s Flat
After exchanging messages on the dating app, the accused and the woman made an arrangement to meet at the woman’s flat in Belfast. This led to their first in-person interaction, during which the alleged incident took place.
The arrangement to meet at the woman’s flat was made after a period of communication through the dating app. This meeting ultimately resulted in the woman contacting the PSNI and the subsequent arrest of the accused, Mohammad Khader Abdel Aqel, on rape charges.
Events at the Flat
On the evening of June 10, 2022, Mohammad Khader Abdel Aqel arrived at the 48-year-old woman’s flat in Belfast. What followed were a series of events that would later become the center of a trial at Belfast Crown Court. The events at the flat would raise questions about consent, sexual intercourse, and the alleged rape of the woman.
Initial Interaction and Tour of the Flat
Following their initial online interaction, Aqel and the woman agreed to meet at her flat. Upon his arrival, the woman offered Aqel a cup of tea, which he declined. Instead, he requested a tour of the flat, to which the woman obliged. However, the situation took a turn when the woman went to the bathroom and returned to find Aqel naked in her bed. What followed next would become a point of contention in the trial.
The Accusation of Rape
As the evening progressed, the woman has alleged that Aqel proceeded to engage in sexual intercourse without her consent. Despite her clear refusal and insistence on the use of a condom, Aqel disregarded her protests and went on to have sex with her. The woman’s allegations of rape and the subsequent events that unfolded would become the focus of the trial at Belfast Crown Court, drawing attention to issues of consent and sexual assault.
The woman maintained that she repeatedly told Aqel “no” and withdrew her consent, yet he continued to ignore her objections and proceeded with sexual intercourse. The incident only came to an end when she physically intervened by slapping him across the face and instructing him to leave her flat.
The Trial
The trial of Mohammad Khader Abdel Aqel, accused of raping a woman he met on a dating website, commenced at Belfast Crown Court. The jury, comprised of seven women and five men, heard testimonies from both the prosecution and the accused.
The Prosecution’s Case
The prosecution, led by Crown barrister Gary McHugh KC, presented evidence and witness testimonies to support their case against Aqel. They detailed the events leading up to the alleged rape, where the woman repeatedly refused Aqel’s advances and insisted on the use of a condom. The prosecution argued that Aqel ignored the woman’s protests and proceeded to have non-consensual intercourse with her.
Statements from the Accused
Aqel initially issued a statement through his solicitor, claiming that the sexual intercourse was consensual. During his police interview, he mostly chose to reply with ‘no comment’, apart from one limited exception. These statements will be carefully scrutinised by the court as the trial progresses.
It is important to note that the defence will have the opportunity to present their case and challenge the prosecution’s evidence during the course of the trial.
Man denies raping woman in her Belfast flat after meeting on dating app
After hearing the evidence and testimony presented in court, it is clear that the case of Mohammad Khader Abdel Aqel denying the rape allegations made against him is a matter of great concern. The details provided by the 48-year-old woman and the evidence presented by the Crown barrister paint a disturbing picture of non-consensual sexual activity. Despite Aqel’s claims of consensual intercourse, the woman’s repeated refusals and the use of physical force to end the encounter strongly suggest otherwise. It is evident that the woman’s boundaries were disregarded, and her refusal to engage in unprotected sex was ignored. Aqel’s consistent denial and refusal to provide further commentary on the matter imply a lack of accountability for his actions. The seriousness of these allegations cannot be overlooked, and it is imperative that the court reaches a just and thorough verdict based on the evidence presented.
