Case No. 0564Sexual assault, assault causing harm, non-fatal strangulation · Co. Donegal · 20 Oct 2024
Algerian man jailed for six years for choking and sexually assaulting woman in Letterkenny alleyway
An Algerian man, Mohamed Hallam, 28, was convicted in January 2026 of sexually assaulting, strangling and assaulting a woman in her early 20s in a dark alleyway in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, on 20 October 2024. Hallam, who had been living in Donegal since 2023 and working in a factory in Burnfoot, pulled the woman from a nightclub dance floor at around 2am and attacked her in the alleyway. He was identified from CCTV footage and semen found on the victim's clothing matched his DNA. Hallam, who had pleaded not guilty and told gardai "She's a liar", was sentenced by Judge David Keane to six years in prison, with the final year suspended and two years of post-release supervision including psychological counselling and a sex offender treatment programme.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced21 Jul
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Hallam was convicted of sexual assault, assault causing harm and non-fatal strangulation.
- Where
- The attack took place in a dark alleyway in Letterkenny, Co Donegal.
- When
- The offences occurred on 20 October 2024, after Hallam pulled the victim from a nightclub dance floor at around 2am.
- Investigation
- Hallam was identified from CCTV footage, gardaí searched his home at Robinson Hall in Letterkenny, and semen found on the victim's clothing matched his DNA.
- Charges
- Hallam pleaded not guilty to the offences and told gardai "She's a liar".
- In court
- The trial took place at the Central Criminal Court in January 2026.
- Sentence
- Judge David Keane sentenced Hallam to six years, with concurrent headline sentences of eight years for sexual assault and non-fatal strangulation and six years for assault causing harm, backdated to 24 October 2024.
- The final year was suspended on conditions of keeping the peace and good behaviour, and Hallam was ordered to serve two years of post-release supervision including psychological counselling and a sex offender treatment programme.
- Other details
- Mohamed Hallam is an Algerian national, 28, who had been living in Donegal since 2023 and was working in a factory in Burnfoot, Co Donegal.
- The victim is a woman in her early 20s who was heavily intoxicated; when her friends found her, her jeans were ripped with the fastener missing and her top was pulled up over her breasts.
- One injury on the victim's stomach may have been a bite mark.
19 statements extracted from the articles
- whereThe attack took place in a dark alleyway in Letterkenny, Co Donegal. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe offences occurred on 20 October 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenHallam pulled the victim onto the dance floor at around 2am. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationHallam was identified as a suspect from CCTV footage and gardaí searched his home at Robinson Hall in Letterkenny town. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationSemen found on the victim's clothing matched Hallam's DNA. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHallam was convicted of sexual assault, assault causing harm and non-fatal strangulation. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe trial took place at the Central Criminal Court in January 2026. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceHallam was jailed for six years. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceJudge David Keane set headline sentences of eight years for sexual assault and non-fatal strangulation and six years for assault causing harm. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceThe sentences are concurrent and backdated to 24 October 2024 when Hallam went into custody. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceThe final year of the sentence was suspended on conditions including keeping the peace and being of good behaviour. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceHallam was ordered to be subject to two years of post-release supervision and engage with psychological counselling and a sex offender treatment programme. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMohamed Hallam is an Algerian national who has been living in Donegal since 2023. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHallam had pleaded not guilty to the offences. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe victim is a woman in her early 20s. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe victim and Hallam left the nightclub within four minutes of meeting. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherWhen her friends found her, her jeans were ripped with the fastener missing and her top was pulled up over her breasts. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherOne injury on the victim's stomach may have been a bite mark. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHallam was working in a factory in Burnfoot, Co Donegal. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 21 Jul2026Man who choked and sex assaulted woman in alleyway told gardai: 'She's a liar'
Sentencing report: Hallam received concurrent sentences backdated to October 2024, with the final year suspended and two years of post-release supervision including psychological counselling and a sex offender treatment programme.
victim, early 20s, femaleconvicted, Mohamed Hallam, 28, male, Algerian, named, non-irishMohamed Hallam