Women claiming to be child refugees have been convicted of stabbing a social worker

A 25-year-old woman who claimed to be a child refugee to Northern Ireland has been jailed for stabbing a social worker.

Fiyori Kesete, originally from Eritrea, admitted causing grievous bodily harm during an earlier appearance at Dungannon Crown Court.

She attacked the victim without warning, stabbing her in the arms and head.

At the time of the incident, Kesete was in the care of the Southern Health and Social Care Trust’s 14+ team and living in accommodation in Dungannon in County Tyrone.

The attack happened after police, accompanied by her social worker, returned her to her accommodation when she had been missing for days.

When Kesete entered the building, he went to the kitchen where the social worker was unpacking groceries and said, “I bought you all your favorite things.”

Without warning, the victim was stabbed multiple times in the arm and head.

Police, still outside the property, quickly restrained Kesete while paramedics arrived.

The social worker was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery.

During a police interrogation, Kesete admitted to the attack but gave no explanation for her actions.

A six-year prison sentence was imposed, but because he considered Kesete dangerous, the judge extended the release period by two years.

During sentencing, the judge described the attack as “a brutal and terrifying ordeal with far-reaching and lasting consequences”.

He noted that Kesete showed “limited remorse or victim awareness” and had blamed the social worker and police for making her angry.

The court was told that her identity had not been confirmed at the time of her arrest and that five different dates of birth and six variations of her age were registered with the Home Office.

An assessment found Kesete had the correct date of birth and she was transferred from the youth detention center to Hydebank Women’s Prison.

The judge rejected suggestions that she had been trafficked to Northern Ireland, but noted that she had ‘arrived illegally and it was entirely possible that she was smuggled in’.

He also said her behavior while in custody was persistently aggressive and violent.

He recommended Kesete be deported at the end of her sentence.

Detective Inspector Dunlop of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) described the incident as a “completely unprovoked attack that no one should ever have to deal with in the course of their work.”

Det Cons Dunlop hoped the conviction would “provide some comfort to the victim that justice had been served”.