An Afghan migrant who was incarcerated for a vicious, unprovoked attack on a young woman has passed away while in custody. The incident has prompted an investigation by authorities.

Gulwali Stanekzay, who was 22 at the time of the assault, targeted 23-year-old Aisha Waris in a brutal attack as she made her way home alone one February evening in 2023. The assault occurred in Harlesden, north-west London.

Following his confession to the crime, Stanekzay received a three-year prison sentence for his actions. Tragically, he has since died at the age of 25, with his death occurring at HMP Wandsworth on January 17.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has launched an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Stanekzay’s death, seeking to uncover any pertinent details.

The attack on Ms. Waris took place on February 26, as she was walking along Minet Avenue in Harlesden around 7:30 p.m. Stanekzay, in a sudden and deliberate act of violence, rode his bicycle into her and proceeded to repeatedly punch her in the head and shoulders for roughly a minute.

Ms Waris had been walking home along Minet Avenue in Harlesden at 7.30pm on February 26 when Stanekzay suddenly and deliberately rode his bike into her and started punching her repeatedly in the head and shoulders for about a minute.

He rode away and shocked and dazed, she continued her short journey back home but noticed seconds later he was again walking towards her menacingly.

Stanekzay punched her repeatedly again forcing Ms Waris to cover her face and run towards a neighbour’s home.

It has now emerged Stanekzay has died at the age of 25 – at HMP Wandsworth on January 17

Stanekzay turned his fury on a Toyota Prius parked out in the street and caused £3,445 worth of damage to the car before turning his attention to a neighbour’s front door

Footage shows him taking several flying kicks at the door before he starts to smash the camera and a pane of glass with his bike lock causing more than £4000 worth of damage

She approached the house, begging Stanekzay to leave her alone, but he ignored her pleas and launched a third savage assault.

Once inside the property, she wiped the blood away from her nose and lip.

Stanekzay, who came to Britain as an unaccompanied 16-year-old from Afghanistan in 2016, had been in and out of immigration centres and was homeless at the time of the attack.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault (ABH) and two counts of criminal damage at a hearing in May, 2023. 

He admitted he was also in breach of a suspended sentence order after being convicted of ABH in December, 2022 and given a 24-week prison sentence suspended for 12-months.

After Ms Waris fled into the property, Stanekzay turned his fury on a Toyota Prius parked out in the street and caused £3,445 worth of damage to the car before turning his attention to the neighbour, Richard Jarman’s, front door.

The horrifying attack was caught on a Ring doorbell camera belonging to Mr Jarman, who had come out of his house after hearing screaming in the street.

In footage played to Harrow Crown Court, Ms Waris was seen walking up to Mr Jarman’s front door, whimpering in fear, pleading with Stanekzay to stop.

Aisha Waris suffered a bruised lip, a swollen nose and red marks and bruising to her chest, shoulders and face. She is pictured here leaving court in 2023

Ms Waris previously told the court: ‘I feel anxious and stressed. I have recently lost my mum and this incident has added my anxiety and sadness. I also am wary about going out of the house’

She then screamed out ‘No’ as he pursued her onto the property, beginning a flurry of punches to her head and face, forcing her to seek shelter inside the house.

Mr Jarman could be heard shouting at the attacker, ‘you’re on camera’ before shutting the door.

Stanekzay attempted to gain access to the terraced property by taking a series of running kicks to the door before smashing the glass and the Ring camera with a bike lock.

Footage shows him taking several flying kicks at the door before he starts to smash the camera and a pane of glass with his bike lock causing more than £4000 worth of damage.

Ms Waris had been on the phone when she was attacked initially and the friend on the other end of the line had managed to contact her father, Abdullah Khan, who drove to the scene.

Mr Khan, who was accompanied by his other daughter, confronted Stanekzay outside the house.

Security footage showed the moment he too was attacked by the defendant, who punched him two or three times and dragged him along the road before fleeing.

Ms Waris suffered a bruised lip, a swollen nose and red marks and bruising to her chest, shoulders and face.

Stanekzay pleaded guilty to two counts of assault (ABH) and two counts of criminal damage at a hearing in May, 2023

The horrifying attack was caught on a Ring doorbell camera belonging to Richard Jarman, who had come out of his house after hearing screaming in the street. Some of the damage to the house is pictured

Her father suffered a black eye and broken tooth.

Sentencing him for the ‘wholly unprovoked’ attack, judge Maya Sikand said previously: ‘Watching that footage is upsetting and frightening and I’m sorry to say portrays you in a very ugly light.’

In her victim impact speech Ms Waris had revealed how she was too scared to leave her home following the attack and afraid to be on her own.

She said: ‘This incident has caused me a lot of distress and had an impact on my emotions and my mental health.

‘I have also sustained physical injuries included bruising and swelling to my eyes, nose and lip.

‘I had many bruises on my head, neck, shoulder and back. I have had to go to hospital to receive treatment for my physical injuries.

‘I feel anxious and stressed. I have recently lost my mum and this incident has added my anxiety and sadness. I also am wary about going out of the house.

‘I used to love going out by myself, for example, going for walks, and was independent however this attack has taken my independence away from me.’

Stanekzay, who issued his ‘reserved apologies’ to the victims through his barrister, was given two-and-a-half years jail time for the assaults and another 24 weeks for breaching his suspended sentence.