Hamza Dahir Jailed for Sexual Assault in Havering HMO 2026

Key Points

• Hamza Dahir, 51, has been sentenced to six years in prison followed by an extended four-year licence period after filming himself sexually assaulting a sleeping woman at an HMO in Havering.
• Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that Dahir entered the victim’s bedroom because the broken lock on her door had not been repaired by her landlord and local authorities.
• Dahir filmed the assault on his mobile phone for two hours while the victim was unconscious and could be heard snoring in the footage.
• Dahir pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by penetration.
• Judge Paul Southern ruled that Dahir poses a danger to women and ordered him to serve at least four years before he can be considered for parole.
• Prosecutors said police discovered the offence after finding the recording on Dahir’s phone. He laughed when officers questioned him about it.
• In a victim impact statement, the survivor said she remains living in the same room where the attack happened because of delays in rehousing.

Havering (East London Times) August 28, 2026 – A 51-year-old man has been handed an extended ten-year sentence at Snaresbrook Crown Court after filming himself sexually assaulting an unconscious woman inside a shared residential property.

As reported by Josh Bolton, Court and Crime Reporter for the Romford Recorder, Hamza Dahir gained access to the victim’s private room inside a house in multiple occupation (HMO) in Havering after the landlord failed to repair a broken door lock. Dahir carried out the attack while the woman was asleep following a night out with friends.

What details were disclosed during the court proceedings at Snaresbrook Crown Court?

During the sentencing hearing, details of the incident and the events leading up to Dahir’s arrest were presented to the court. Prosecutor Gwen Williamson detailed how the victim resided in a council-provided HMO where individual tenants were meant to have secure locks on their respective bedroom doors.

As reported by Josh Bolton of the Romford Recorder, Ms Williamson stated that:

“The damaged lock was reported to the landlord and authorities, but it remained broken and unfixed so she took the temporary measure of putting a piece of wood behind the door once she entered.”

On the night of the incident, the victim returned home by taxi after drinking with friends. Dahir entered her room and spent approximately two hours inside, during which he filmed himself committing sexual assaults while the woman remained unconscious. As recorded in the evidence presented by the prosecution, the video footage recovered by police showed the victim snoring while Dahir carried out the acts. The victim did not wake up during the assault and Dahir had left the room by the morning.

How did law enforcement officers discover the crime?

The assault came to light following a police investigation involving Dahir’s mobile phone. Officers uncovered the video recording of the assault stored on the device and subsequently retrieved closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the HMO premises, which confirmed Dahir entering the victim’s room on the night in question.

As reported by Josh Bolton of the Romford Recorder, Ms Williamson stated that when police officers questioned Dahir regarding the video found on his phone, “he had his head down and was laughing.” Ms Williamson further informed the court that:

“He was asked if he thought it was a joke and he shook his head in response.”

Dahir subsequently admitted his actions during court proceedings, pleading guilty to two counts of assault by penetration.

What did the victim state about the aftermath of the attack?

A victim impact statement read out during the sentencing hearing detailed the ongoing emotional distress experienced by the survivor, alongside systemic delays in securing alternative accommodation.

As reported by Josh Bolton of the Romford Recorder, the victim stated:

“Since the incident I have had to remain in the same house. I just don’t feel safe. I’m still in the same room, the very place it happened. There has been no escape from this. I’m constantly triggered and I just feel sick. No amount of prison time or punishment will ever be enough, as I have to live with this for the rest of my life.”

What arguments were raised by the defence regarding Dahir’s background?

The court heard that Dahir had 11 previous convictions on his record, which included offences of violence, though none were of a sexual nature prior to this case.

Representing the defendant, Rodderick Jones of the defence counsel argued that Dahir’s past offending stemmed primarily from substance dependency. As reported by Josh Bolton of the Romford Recorder, Mr Jones stated:

“It is the defence case that what has underpinned his criminal behaviour for the last 17 years has been alcohol misuse.”

Mr Jones added that Dahir had arrived in the United Kingdom from Somalia at the age of 11 and had led a law-abiding life until the age of 34, when he first encountered the criminal justice system.

What were the remarks of the judge during sentencing?

Presiding Judge Paul Southern rejected the defence’s assertion that the assault was an isolated incident, determining instead that Dahir posed a persistent danger to the public and to women specifically.

As reported by Josh Bolton of the Romford Recorder, Judge Southern stated to Dahir:

“When the opportunity presented itself to sexually assault this vulnerable woman, you did not hesitate to take advantage of it – there’s no reason to consider that you wouldn’t do so again if presented with similar circumstances.”

Addressing the defense submissions, Judge Southern added:

“I am unable to accept the submission that this was a single out-of-character incident rather than a serious escalation of in your criminal offending.”

Judge Southern passed an extended sentence comprising six years of custodial imprisonment and an additional four years on licence. Under the terms of the sentence, Dahir must serve a minimum of four years in custody before he becomes eligible to apply for parole.

Background of the Development

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) across the United Kingdom are subject to strict legal regulations governing safety, security, and maintenance under the Housing Act 2004 and the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006. Landlords of shared housing facilities are legally required to maintain the structural integrity of the property, including ensuring that external boundary doors and individual bedroom locks are fully functional to guarantee tenant privacy and safety.

In council-funded or temporary social housing placements, local authorities also owe a duty of care to ensure that residents, particularly vulnerable individuals, are placed in secure living environments. In recent years, tenant advocacy groups and housing charities across East London have raised concerns over delays in emergency maintenance and the prolonged placement of vulnerable tenants in shared housing where security measures have compromised safety.

Future Impact and Predictions

This legal outcome and the circumstances surrounding the case are expected to have significant implications for several key stakeholders:

• HMO Tenants and Social Housing Residents: Tenants living in shared housing, particularly those reliant on local authority placements, may face heightened awareness regarding security rights. The case highlights the severe risks associated with compromised property security, potentially prompting more residents to demand immediate repairs and legal intervention when landlords fail to address safety hazards.
• Private Landlords and Property Managers: Landlords operating HMOs could face increased legal scrutiny and potential civil liability if failing to fix reported security defects leads to harm. Regulatory bodies and local councils may enforce stricter inspection regimes and penalties against landlords who neglect basic security infrastructure, such as bedroom door locks.
• Local Authorities and Housing Associations: Local councils managing emergency and temporary housing placements will likely evaluate rehousing procedures for victims of violent or sexual crimes. The details revealed in court regarding the victim remaining in the same room post-assault could pressure housing authorities to establish faster emergency transfer protocols for crime survivors to prevent prolonged trauma.