Teesside Rapist Haider Ali Has Sentence Increased After Public Outcry
- teessidetoday
- Jun 18
- 3 min read
Calls for the Judge who handed down the 'unduly lenient' sentence to be suspended after the Attorney General Steps in & increases the sentence of Middlesbrough Rapist Haider Ali by a further five years..
18th June 2025
A serial rapist who terrorised two women in a single night has had his sentence increased by five years following intervention from the government’s top law officers. The original sentence — handed down by Judge Richard Clews at Teesside Crown Court — was heavily criticised for being unduly lenient, sparking a referral to the Court of Appeal...
Haider Ali, 31, Allegedly from 'Middlesbrough', committed two horrific rapes in the early hours of 7 September 2024. He first travelled from his home to Stockton On Tees, where he stalked a woman to the rear of a disused building and subjected her to a brutal rape that lasted nearly an hour.
Shortly after, Ali attacked a second woman on Yarm Road, raping her as well. Shockingly, the second victim was said to have been pregnant at the time of the assault. Both incidents were caught on CCTV, showing Ali running from the scenes. The evidence proving his guilt said to have been 'overwhelming'.
In a Victim Personal Statement, one of the women said the attack has deeply affected her daily life. She cannot go about normal activities without being reminded of the ordeal, a reflection of the long-term psychological trauma caused by such a violent assault.
Despite the severity of the crimes — which involved multiple rapes on two separate victims in one night, and included vulnerable circumstances like pregnancy — the initial punishment was said to have fallen far short of public expectations.
The Original Sentence – 'Too Lenient'...
On 17 March 2025, Haider Ali was sentenced to an extended sentence of 12 years — comprising 10 years’ imprisonment and a 2-year licence extension — by Judge Richard Clews. This decision provoked outrage among victims’ rights advocates, legal professionals, and members of the public who questioned how such a dangerous and predatory offender could receive what amounts to a relatively short custodial term.
Critics noted that the sentence failed to reflect the multiple offences, the prolonged nature of the first rape, the vulnerability of the victims, and the clear premeditation involved.
Many local residents questioned whether justice had truly been served — or if once again, Teesside’s courts were allowing violent offenders to walk away with leniency.
Solicitor General Steps In..
The case caught the attention of the Solicitor General, Lucy Rigby KC MP, who used the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) Scheme to refer the case to the Court of Appeal. The ULS scheme allows law officers to challenge sentences that appear to be too low for the seriousness of the crime.
On 17 June 2025, the Court agreed that the original sentence did not do justice to the gravity of the offences. Haider Ali’s sentence was then increased to 17 years, comprising 15 years of imprisonment and the original 2-year licence extension.
Lucy Rigby KC MP issued a strong statement following the decision:
“This was a truly horrific case, and I want to commend the brave victims who came forward to put Haider Ali behind bars. I strongly welcome the Court’s decision to extend this offender’s prison term.”
A Pattern of Leniency?
This case raises important concerns about sentencing practices at Teesside Crown Court, especially under Judge Richard Clews, where questions are being raised as to why did it take ministerial intervention to ensure a more appropriate sentence for a man who carried out two rapes, one of which involved a pregnant victim? Is there a broader culture of leniency at play — or was this a serious error of judgement by one judge?
For the victims, the extended sentence may offer some sense of justice. But for the wider community, it adds to a growing sense of frustration over judicial decisions that appear to minimise the severity of violent crime with some already questioning whether this once again amounts to 'Two Tier' Justice being dished out at Teesside Court.
Judge Clews' original decision did a disservice to the victims, the law, and the people of Teesside. With the case serving as a reminder that when the courts fall short, the public must continue to hold unelected judges to account.
