Man given hospital order after committing sexual offences in Bristol

A 31-year-old man has been given a hospital order after committing a series of sexual offences against women in Bristol.

Haroon Shahid, of Fishponds in Bristol, was found to have carried out two counts of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault, following an investigation led by officers with Operation Bluestone, our dedicated rape and serious sexual assault investigation team.

A jury came to a unanimous decision on Wednesday 19 March following a trial of the facts held at Bristol Crown Court. This process is held when, based on medical evidence, a court decides a person is unfit to stand trial. A trial of the facts is then held to determine whether the accused has committed the offences alleged.

As a result of being found to have committed these offences, Shahid was given a hospital order under section 37 of the Mental Health Act. In addition, a section 41 restriction was added which means he can only be discharged from hospital if the Secretary of State for Justice agrees.

Investigating officer DC Florence Dickinson said: “The jury unanimously found Shahid had carried out these extremely concerning offences again women in the Clifton and Redland areas of Bristol between February and March 2024.

“The three victims were all in their early twenties and each have shown incredible strength and bravery in coming forward to report their experiences, but also in supporting the police investigation and attending court. Each of them has played an invaluable part in ensuring a dangerous sexual offender is off the streets and unable to commit any further harm.

“We believe there may be more victims out there who’ve yet to come forward, as we strongly suspect Shahid was targeting young women in Clifton and Redland during early 2024. If you’ve been affected, or want to speak to the police, please call us on 101 or contact us online, using the reference number 5224075576.”