Overview

• Moffat Konofilia, a former Solomon Islands national-team footballer, was convicted by Poole magistrates of one count of sexual assault against a 17-year-old on Weymouth seafront in December 2023.
• Court testimony revealed he told the victim he had “never been this close to a white woman” before attempting a non-consensual kiss and following her as she walked away.
• Magistrates adjourned sentencing for pre-sentence reports and granted bail, and Konofilia now lives at Quadrant Hall, a former university accommodation converted for asylum seekers.
• His asylum claim, already tied to two initial interviews, now hinges on the outcome of the final court judgment and accompanying reports.
• The case has drawn scrutiny to the UK’s use of remote housing facilities like the Bibby Stockholm barge for migrants from distant nations.