Bristol asylum seeker gets nine years for knife attacks on sex workers

Aymane Es Sabery, a 19-year-old asylum seeker, received a nine-year sentence at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday for attacking two sex workers with a knife in their homes. The judge sent the Moroccan national to a young offender institution, where he will serve his time before facing almost certain deportation from the United Kingdom.

Judge Julian Lambert described the defendant as a very disturbed young man. The judge noted that Es Sabery did not attend the sentencing hearing. Lambert also expressed doubt about the defendant's stated age, calling it highly dubious that the man was as young as he claimed.

The court heard that Es Sabery was found guilty of two separate charges during a trial earlier this year. One charge was for assault with intent to rob, an incident that occurred on November 12, 2025. The second charge was for a robbery that took place on February 21, 2026. Both offenses happened in the victims' apartments.

Prosecuting barrister George Threlfall explained that the defendant targeted the women because of their occupation. Threlfall told the court that Es Sabery believed the women would have large amounts of cash on hand because their work generated money primarily in that form. The judge agreed that the victims were targeted due to a perceived vulnerability linked to their jobs.

During the attacks, Es Sabery held a knife to the throats of the two women. The judge stated that the defendant subjected the women to terrifying violence, beating them and threatening them with the blade. The specific locations of the apartments were not mentioned during the hearing in Bristol.

Defending barrister Katie Walden told the court that Es Sabery was suspected of suffering from foetal alcohol syndrome, although he had not received a formal diagnosis. Walden noted that the defendant had a low IQ, was illiterate, and struggled to support himself financially. Judge Lambert acknowledged the defendant's struggles with his mentality and psychology but said the court had limited evidence explaining how those conditions affected his culpability.

The judge offered high praise for two officers from Avon and Somerset Police who handled the case. Judge Lambert commended Detective Constable Button for coordinating multiple evidence streams, including CCTV and financial records. The judge noted that Button gained the trust of a vulnerable witness who was initially unwilling to speak. He also praised Detective Constable Williams for securing evidence from a witness who had left the country. The judge said Williams built a relationship of trust that allowed the witness to re-engage with the court process.