
Leeds Beckett graduate who was sexually assaulted speaks out to inspire others
‘I think the biggest thing for me is that when it first happened I felt so alone’
A Leeds Beckett graduate who was sexually assaulted is speaking out about her experience to inspire others.
Rhiannon Boardman, 24, who was sexually assaulted at her home in Burley by a personal trainer, has courageously chosen to waive her legally granted anonymity under the Sexual Offences Amendment Act in an effort to combat stigma.
The perpetrator of the attack, Naeem Ahmed, 28, of Elford Grove in Harehills, was found guilty of sexual assault following a three-day trial at Leeds Crown Court, the Yorkshire Evening Post reports.
Rhiannon was 22 at the time of the sexual assault on October 25th 2022 and was studying to become a speech and language therapist at Leeds Beckett University.
Asked if there was one thing she’d want to tell students who may have experienced similar trauma, Rhiannon told The Leeds Tab: “It’d be that they’re not alone, even though it might feel like it, and things really do get better.”
Senior police officers have also commended Rhiannon for her “immense bravery”.
Ahmed pleaded not guilty, which prolonged the court process and meant Rhiannon had to wait over a year for justice.
He was sentenced to two years in prison on 13th January 2025.
As the sentence was passed, Rhiannon explained feeling as though a weight was lifted from her shoulders. She was driven to share her story to “raise awareness of sexual assaults and break the stigma surrounding it”.
To raise funds for Victim Support, a charity dedicated to supporting victims of crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales, she will be running 10 half marathons in 2025. She chose this charity because it became a lifeline for her as she struggled with the ongoing effects of trauma following the attack.
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Rhiannon said: “I think the biggest thing for me is that when it first happened I felt so alone.
“I didn’t feel like I had anyone to speak to who had been through that sort of thing or knew what to expect.
“Victim Support were one of the first who got in contact with me and it was really nice that I had someone to talk to about it, especially at first when I had not come to terms with what had happened.
“If sharing my story can help just one person in a similar position to me then it’s been worth it.”
At the time of the attack, Rhiannon regularly went to the gym where Ahmed worked as a personal trainer. The two became acquainted with each other in passing.
She said: “He was a big personality in the body building world and a lot of people knew him which is why I trusted him.
“I had a good image of him in my head. He had a big client base.”
She explained that she responded to his message offering massages, as she was experiencing bad back pain at the time. He assured her that he was a qualified sports therapist.
The massage was arranged for the following evening, during which Ahmed removed his shirt before sexually assaulting Rhiannon and asking her to touch him inappropriately.
During the assault, Rhiannon “completely panicked”.
“I was confused and I couldn’t move,” she said. “It was like I was not in my own body. I felt threatened and was frozen.”
After Ahmed left the house, Rhiannon’s housemates could sense that something was wrong. Speaking about this time, Rhiannon said: “I was still massively in shock.”
The Leeds Beckett graduate went on to tell her housemates that Ahmed had touched her and made her feel “really uncomfortable.” The attack was then reported to the police within two hours.
Rhiannon said: “My first thought was because of how scared I was and how confusing it all was that I didn’t want it to happen to anyone else.”
She added: “I was a bit apprehensive but once I had gone to the police I realised the extent of what he had done.”
Rhiannon praised West Yorkshire Police for their unwavering support throughout the process, citing relief that she was believed and that “the police were doing everything they could”.
After Ahmed was charged and pleaded not guilty in court, Rhiannon faced a year-and-a-half wait for the trial: “That was probably the most difficult part, knowing I would have to relive it in a courtroom in front of people and knowing it was such a long time away.”

Naeem Ahmed via West Yorkshire Police
During this wait, she began to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, which had significant and devastating impacts on her daily life.
She said: “During the days I was pretty numb to be honest”.
“I didn’t have a lot of emotions so during the day I was not able to get out of bed or look after myself.
“During the night it was worse. I would wake up in the night with sleep paralysis. I couldn’t move and thought he was on top of me. It was like I was reliving it again and again.”
The stress also caused delays in finishing her degree at Leeds Beckett.
The trial started on October 14th 2024 and lasted for an “exhausting” three days.
Rhiannon said: “It was difficult to be on the stand and be told I was a liar because it had been my life for the last two-and-a-half years”.
“During that time I didn’t feel like I could move past it because I felt I had to remember every detail.
“I told them exactly what happened which, to be honest, was quite empowering. At that point I had done everything I could to stop this happening again.
“I then knew that whatever was to happen was out of my hands but I had done everything I could.”