Top News

A barber who raped and tortured two women has been jailed for ten years. 27-year-old Anas Almarjeh was today sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow. He attacked his first victim as she slept in his hometown of Barrhead, Renfrewshire, in late 2019. He also took a photo of the woman, which he then showed to another man. He repeatedly abused the second victim between 2019 and 2022.

He verbally assaulted and threatened his second victim, and also acted aggressively and locked her out of her home. Additionally, controlled her movements, who she could talk to, what she could eat or drink, and took her money and bank cards from her. Almarjeh also filmed her in distress and shared the clip online. He had also repeatedly raped her. The crimes happened in Glasgow's southside and also in Barrhead.

He denied the accusations at a trial in October last year. However, a jury found him guilty of two rape charges as well as another charge of engaging in abusive behaviour.

Judge Lady Hood stated during sentencing that Almarjeh had claimed to be a victim of "false allegations".

The judge said: "The impact statement (for the first woman) has spoken of how your actions affected her health and her ability to work and enjoy life as she did before.

"The second woman described your behaviour in detail. It included you posting footage of her in a distressed state on social media, something which had a destructive impact on her.

"Her mother also spoke of the dramatic change that she saw in her daughter."

She added that Almarjeh took "no responsibility" for the crimes or had "any insight" into the harm caused.

He has been added to the sex offenders list, and the judge imposed non-harassment orders banning the attacker from approaching or contacting the women, both of which are for an indefinite period.