PULSE POINTS
WHAT HAPPENED: A migrant who sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl in England, saying, “I’ve never been this close to a white woman,” has been spared prison.
WHO WAS INVOLVED: Moffat Konofilia, a 48-year-old migrant, and a 17-year-old girl.
WHEN & WHERE: December 2023, Weymouth Beach in Dorset, England.
KEY QUOTE: “I’ve never been this close to a white woman,” said Konofilia before assaulting his victim.
IMPACT: The migrant was sentenced to an 18-month community order, sparking public anger and strengthening concerns over two-tier justice in Britain, with judges having recently handed heavy prison sentences to social media users like Lucy Connolly for posts critical of asylum seekers.
IN FULL
Moffat Konofilia, a 48-year-old migrant, has been spared prison in England after sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl on Weymouth Beach in Dorset. The attack took place in December 2023 while Konofilia was residing on the Bibby Stockholm migrant barge.
The court heard that Konofilia approached the teenager, complimented her skin, and made the comment, “I’ve never been this close to a white woman.” He then followed her to the beach, where he kissed her twice on the lips without her consent. He later pursued her into an ally, but she managed to allude him. The victim stated, “I felt intimidated, and his actions were sexually motivated. It had an impact on my existing anxiety and feelings of being safe.”
Prosecutor Robert Salame detailed how the girl recorded part of the encounter on her phone after becoming uncomfortable. Konofilia, who had been drinking, initially claimed the girl was 18 and denied kissing her, stating he only put an arm around her to comfort her.
The court handed Konofilia a proverbial slap on the wrist, in the form of an 18-month community order, including 60 hours of unpaid work, 26 rehabilitation activity days, and a 100-day alcohol abstinence monitoring tag. His lenient treatment contrasts starkly with that of people like Lucy Connolly, who received heavy prison sentences for sharing social media posts critical of asylum seekers in the wake of a mass stabbing in Southport by a migration-background teenager.
The generosity shown to Konofilia appears certain to reinforce the public’s growing belief that a two-tier justice system is in operation, with ethnic and religious minorities favored and white people disfavored, especially if they have right-wing views.
During the proceedings, Konofilia feigned gratitude to the British people, saying, “Thank you for looking after me.”
Image by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street.
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