Saudi Gazette report

LONDON — A young Saudi national is being celebrated in the United Kingdom for his bravery after he intervened to stop a violent rape attempt in Sunderland, tackling the attacker and restraining him until police arrived, according to a report from the Sunderland Echo.

Hamza Al-Bar, a recent graduate who has lived in the UK, was returning from a nearby supermarket in Monkwearmouth when he heard a woman scream. With his phone nearly out of battery and no earbuds on, he quickly identified the source of the noise: a man assaulting a woman at a bus stop across the street.

Al-Bar managed to call police and relay the location before his phone died.

He immediately ran toward the suspect — later identified as Ian Hedson — shouting for him to stop.

Hedson attempted to flee, but Al-Bar chased him down, subdued him, and held him on the ground despite being punched in the face.

He restrained the attacker until security staff and police arrived, with officers thanking him for his actions.

The case comes at a time of heightened debate in the UK over racism and anti-Islamic sentiment. Al-Bar’s intervention has been widely praised as an example of the positive contributions made by immigrants and Muslim communities across Britain.

In court, the judge commended Al-Bar’s courage. Hedson was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Speaking about the incident months later, Al-Bar described how a routine evening walk unexpectedly turned into a life-or-death situation.

“I normally have my earbuds in, but my phone was low on battery, so I didn’t,” he said.

“The first thing I heard was a scream. I called the police, but my phone died right after I gave them the location. He tried to run, but I caught him. He punched me, but with the adrenaline I didn’t feel it. Moments later, officers arrived and held him down.”

“I realized then that my part was done,” he added.