Man from Afghanistan appears in court charged with three sexual assaults in Southampton

A man from Afghanistan has appeared in court charged with sexually assaulting three women in Southampton, as well as entering the UK illegally.

Sohail Amiri, 30, was accused of approaching a woman and trying to kiss her in Upper Shaftesbury Avenue on Tuesday.

He also faces two sexual assault charges relating to incidents on 23 September, when he allegedly made inappropriate comments and approaches to two women in Westwood Road.

Amiri appeared at Southampton Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: "Officers investigating three reports of sexual assaults on women in Portswood and Bevois have charged a man.

"The charges follow an incident which occurred in Upper Shaftesbury Avenue in the early hours of Tuesday.

"It was reported a woman was walking along the road just after midnight when she was approached by a man she did not know who is alleged to have then tried to kiss her.

"She was able to force him off and run away."

Amiri, of Highfield Lane, Southampton, has also been charged with entering the United Kingdom without leave contrary to Section 24 of the Immigration Act 1971.

Highfield House Hotel in Highfield Lane, Portswood, has been subject to repeated anti-immigration protests.

The suspect is due to appear at the city's crown court on 5 January.

(c) Sky News 2025: Man from Afghanistan appears in court charged with three sexual assaults in Southampton