‘disgusting’ | 

Man (38) sexually assaulted ‘vulnerable’ Leaving Cert student as she walked home

Nabil Habbar, 38, an Algerian national with an address at River Village, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the teen

Yesterday at 16:34

A FORMER accountant has been jailed for a “disgusting” sexual assault on a vulnerable teenage girl he approached while she was out celebrating her Leaving Certificate results.

Nabil Habbar, 38, an Algerian national with an address at River Village, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the teen in Athlone on a date in August 2021.

He appeared at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court today.

Judge Keenan Johnson handed down a sentence of three years and six months, with the final nine months suspended for four years, during which Habbar will remain under probation supervision.

The married man had worked as an accountant in Algeria but, after coming to Ireland several years ago, worked in the hospitality industry.

The sentencing hearing was told that the victim had been celebrating her results and was walking home when the accused approached her.

The restaurant worker, who had no prior criminal convictions, “complimented her, telling her she was beautiful”, and he kept walking with her and steered her in a particular direction.

The girl ran over to a friend, and Habbar was warned to “back off”. Later, the victim felt confident that Habbar was gone and told her pals they could leave her, and she stopped to rest.

However, the accused returned and sat beside her and “forcibly kissed her” while holding her face and neck while the victim pleaded with him to stop.

The court heard his hand touched her left thigh, and he moved her underwear aside and he forced his finger into her vagina even though the injured party told him “No”.

Habbar also put her hand over the top of his penis through his clothing before she screamed “No,” and he backed away when another man came to her assistance.

The victim was taken to a sexual assault treatment unit, which found she had genital injuries consistent with the assault described.

The court heard gardai a public appeal for witnesses.

Judge Johnson noted that gardai interviewed Habbar three times. In the first, he tried to convince gardai the girl was drunk and nothing had happened. During the second interview, he claimed she was upset, and liked it or that she was looking for drugs.

In the final interview, Habbar said he was sorry.