Helsinki Court of Appeal increases sentence for man convicted of raping partially paralyzed woman
The Helsinki Court of Appeal has sentenced Fahad Firas Adday Al-Nuaimi, 29, to three years and six months in prison for raping a partially paralyzed woman in Vantaa in July 2022. The ruling increases the original district court sentence by six months.
Al-Nuaimi, who worked as the victim’s assistant through a care service company, committed the assault just days after starting his job. The victim, an approximately 60-year-old woman who uses a wheelchair, testified that Al-Nuaimi lifted her onto a bed, turned her onto her stomach, and raped her. She also stated that he had asked when she last had sex and justified his actions by claiming she had been alone for a long time (Ilta-Sanomat).
The victim visited a doctor shortly after the assault but was too shocked to describe what had happened. She reported the crime days later. Al-Nuaimi admitted to sexual intercourse but claimed it was consensual, alleging the woman had been sexually active and had even answered the door naked. Both the district court and the Court of Appeal dismissed his account as implausible and unrealistic, given the victim’s partial paralysis (Iltalehti; Ilta-Sanomat).
The Court of Appeal ruled that the assault was "cruel and humiliating," causing the victim long-lasting physical and psychological harm. While the court did not classify the crime as aggravated rape, it acknowledged the woman’s defenselessness due to her health condition and dependence on the perpetrator’s care. The prosecutor had argued for a harsher sentence, citing "complete disregard" for the victim’s integrity (Iltalehti).
Al-Nuaimi was ordered to pay the victim €9,300 in damages. He appealed the district court’s initial three-year sentence, demanding the charges be dismissed, but the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and increased the prison term. The ruling is not yet legally binding (Iltalehti).
Previous controversy involving Al-Nuaimi
Al-Nuaimi gained public attention in September 2015 when he misrepresented his age to then-Prime Minister Juha Sipilä during a visit to a reception center in Oulu. He claimed to be 17, despite being 19 at the time, and asked Sipilä to assist refugees arriving in Finland. The incident sparked controversy after his true age was revealed through his Facebook profile. Ilta-Sanomat later confirmed that the birth date and name of the now-convicted man matched those of the individual who lied to Sipilä (Ilta-Sanomat).
The 2015 incident occurred during a peak period of the European refugee crisis, when over 10,000 asylum seekers arrived in Finland in September alone. The Oulu region faced significant challenges in accommodating the influx, and Sipilä had offered his home in Kempele for asylum seeker use (Ilta-Sanomat).