Woman Reveals the Terrifying Way She Was Sexually Assaulted by a Pakistani Failed Asylum Seeker While Sleeping on a UK Bus, But What Happened Next Left Her in Tears

A Pakistani man whose application to remain in the UK as an asylum seeker was rejected has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman while she was sleeping on a bus travelling to Edinburgh.

The man, identified as 27-year-old Rayyan Ali, was travelling on a Flixbus when the incident happened. The woman had fallen asleep during the journey and had no idea that the man sitting in front of her would touch her inappropriately.

The incident took place on January 28, 2024, while the bus was passing through East Linton in East Lothian, Scotland.

According to information presented in court, Ali was sitting in front of the woman when he reached his hand through a small gap between the seat and the window. He then touched her leg while she was sleeping.

The woman suddenly woke up after feeling someone touching her. When she realised what was happening, she immediately shouted at Ali and told him to stop.

Her reaction attracted attention from other people on the bus, and her friend quickly informed the driver about what had happened.

The bus driver was made aware of the situation, and Ali was instructed to move away from the woman and sit somewhere else.

Police were also contacted so that officers could deal with the matter when the bus reached Edinburgh.

When the vehicle eventually arrived in the Scottish capital, police officers were waiting. Ali was arrested and later charged with sexually assaulting the woman.

The incident led to a court case that continued for more than two years before Ali was eventually found guilty.

Ali, who was living in Newcastle upon Tyne at the time, initially appeared before Edinburgh Sheriff Court the day after the incident.

However, the case faced delays after he failed to attend two separate court hearings.

The first missed hearing was scheduled for August 2024, while the second was due to take place in September 2026.

His failure to attend court became another issue in the case, and he later admitted responsibility for missing both hearings.

During the period before his trial, Ali also came to the attention of immigration officials on the Isle of Man.

In January 2026, he was arrested while attempting to claim benefits on the island.

Officials discovered that he was a failed asylum seeker in the UK, and arrangements were made to return him to mainland Britain.

The Isle of Man Immigration Compliance Team worked alongside Merseyside Police and UK Border Force to carry out the operation.

Ali was escorted from the island and taken to Liverpool Airport, where he was handed over to police and Border Force officers.

Following the operation, a spokesperson for the Isle of Man government confirmed that immigration officials had successfully returned a person whose UK asylum application had been rejected.

The spokesperson explained that the operation involved cooperation between the island’s immigration team, Merseyside Police and Border Force.

However, the government representative declined to provide further information about Ali’s circumstances.

Officials also refused to confirm whether he had been wanted by police in connection with any outstanding matters at the time he was returned to Britain.

Ali eventually appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Friday, November 6, 2026, where he stood trial after denying the sexual assault allegation.

During the hearing, the woman gave a detailed account of what happened during the bus journey.

She explained that she and her friend had travelled from Edinburgh to Newcastle for a night out.

After spending time in Newcastle, they boarded a Flixbus service to return to Edinburgh.

The bus was travelling on a longer route, and the two friends were making their way back to the Scottish capital when the incident occurred.

The woman told the court that she had become tired during the journey and eventually fell asleep in her seat.

She said she was suddenly woken by someone touching her and soon realised that the man sitting directly in front of her was responsible.

According to her evidence, Ali had pushed his hand through the narrow space between his seat and the window to reach her.

She said she was shocked by what was happening and immediately shouted at him to stop touching her.

Despite the unexpected situation, the woman managed to take out her phone and record a short video of Ali.

She explained that she wanted to have a recording that could help identify the person responsible for what had happened.

Her friend also became involved and informed the bus driver about the incident.

The woman later explained to the court that the experience had affected her emotionally.

She described feeling disgusted and violated because someone had touched her sexually without her permission while she was asleep.

She also made it clear that the incident was not something she had simply forgotten after leaving the bus.

Speaking about the effect it had on her, she told the court that remembering what happened still made her cry.

Her evidence showed that the incident had continued to upset her long after the journey ended.

When Ali was given the opportunity to explain his side of the story, he denied deliberately touching the woman.

He told the court that he had been travelling to Edinburgh and had spent much of the journey sleeping.

According to Ali, he did not intentionally reach towards the woman or sexually assault her.

He suggested that if any physical contact had taken place, it must have happened accidentally while he was asleep.

However, the sheriff was not convinced by his explanation.

Sheriff Daniel Kelly carefully considered the evidence presented during the trial, including the woman’s account of what happened and Ali’s denial.

After hearing both sides, the sheriff said he found the woman’s evidence convincing.

He accepted her explanation that Ali had reached through the gap between the seats and touched her leg.

The sheriff also rejected the suggestion that the contact could have happened by accident.

Instead, he concluded that Ali’s actions were deliberate and amounted to sexual assault.

Sheriff Kelly explained that he was satisfied Ali had intentionally touched the woman and was therefore guilty of the offence.

The decision meant that Ali’s claim that the contact had been accidental was rejected by the court.

The court also considered the fact that Ali had previously failed to attend two scheduled hearings.

It was confirmed that he had already pleaded guilty to both charges relating to his failure to appear in court.

Following the guilty verdict for sexual assault, Sheriff Kelly ordered that Ali be placed on the sex offenders register.

Being placed on the register means that Ali will be required to follow legal notification rules relating to his personal details for the period set by law.

The sheriff also decided that Ali should remain in custody rather than be released while waiting for his sentence.

As a result, he was remanded in custody and will remain there until the court deals with his punishment.

However, the sheriff did not immediately announce what sentence Ali would receive.

Instead, sentencing was postponed until the following month to allow further reports to be prepared.

These reports will provide the court with additional information to consider before deciding on the appropriate sentence.

The case has drawn attention to the woman’s experience during what should have been an ordinary journey home after a night out with her friend.

She had boarded the bus expecting to travel safely back to Edinburgh but instead woke up to find that another passenger was touching her without her consent.

Although she immediately challenged the man and reported the incident, she told the court that the emotional effects had remained with her.

The case also brought attention to Ali’s immigration history, including the rejection of his asylum application and his later arrest on the Isle of Man.

However, the sexual assault charge was decided on the evidence about what happened on the bus, with the sheriff finding that the touching was deliberate.

Ali has now been convicted of sexual assault, ordered to register as a sex offender and kept in custody ahead of sentencing.

His next court appearance is expected in December 2026, when the sheriff will decide what punishment he should receive for the offence.