Abdelkarim Arfaoui, 27, a Tunisian national, has been convicted of 10 charges related to a 90-minute sexual assault spree targeting five women in Jersey on November 30, 2025. The charges include attempted rape, sexual touching, grave and criminal assault, common assault, and threatening or abusive behavior. Arfaoui has been placed on the sex offenders' register and remanded in custody pending a sentencing hearing.
During his trial, Arfaoui denied the attacks, claiming he was lost and asking women for directions as he was new to the island and his phone was not working. He also suggested some women became angry when he refused to have sex with them. However, jurors were shown CCTV footage depicting Arfaoui prowling streets and assaulting women on their way to work. One video showed him pinning a woman against a fence, forcibly kissing her, and saying, "I love you." Another clip captured him groping a different victim.
Police began receiving emergency calls around 7 a.m. on the day of the attacks. The first report involved a woman who was groped and then punched. Within 20 minutes, a second woman reported a sexual assault. Arfaoui was arrested eight minutes after the second call. Three additional victims were identified later.
In court, victims described the lasting impact of the assaults. One woman stated she felt "disgusted, dirty, lost" and suffered from sleep disturbances. Another victim expressed fear of going out alone. Arfaoui reportedly showed no remorse and refused to apologize to his victims as he was taken to prison.
Jersey Police described Arfaoui as a "dangerous sexual predator" and commended the bravery of the victims. Detective Constable Jack Maguire noted that such offending is rare and highlighted the commitment of the police and partner agencies to investigating offenders. He also credited key witnesses, identified through public appeals and house-to-house inquiries, for their role in building the case presented to the court. The jury deliberated for four hours before reaching its verdict. Arfaoui claimed he had been out celebrating a new job as a carer and had been awake for 24 hours prior to his arrest.  