A MIGRANT has avoided jail for sexually assaulting a teen girl on a beach before telling her “I’ve never been this close to a white woman”.
Moffat Konofilia was staying on the Bibby Stockholm migrant barge when he targeted the 17-year-old victim.
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The 48-year-old, who travelled 10,000 miles to the UK from the Solomon Islands, engaged the girl in conversation on Weymouth Beach in Dorset.
Konofilia complimented the colour of her skin and said he had “never been this close to a white woman”.
The victim, who bravely recorded their conversation, was heard saying “no, no” as the fiend attempted to kiss her.
He then followed her to an alleyway but the girl managed to lose Konofilia.
The predator has now avoided prison after he was convicted of sexual assault.
He had begged magistrates in Poole not to send him to jail as he needed to support his wife and children.
Konofilia, who has been in the country for three years, also thanked the UK for “looking after me” and said he was a good citizen.
The court heard Konofilia, a former footballer for the Solomon Islands national team, attacked the girl in December 2023.
He had taken the bus into Weymouth and bought beers to drink on the beach “as he often did”.
Konofilia told the girl he was on holiday – but in fact he lived on the controversial migrant barge.
The girl reported him to the police the next day and he was arrested.
During his interview with officers, Konofilia claimed the girl told him she was 18 and needed his help.
He said he did not kiss her but did put an arm around her to comfort her and she pulled away.
Konofilia was moved from Bibby Stockholm following the sex attack and was moved to former university accommodation converted to house 100 asylum seekers in Coventry.
Although he speaks English, he said his first language was Pijin, a common language in the Solomon Islands.
He previously claimed he had two interviews for his asylum claim, which depended on the outcome of this case.
There are currently no specific visas for Solomon Islanders to enter the UK to seek asylum.
Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea are the primary destinations for asylum seekers from the Solomon Islands.
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