BRISTOL, June 9 (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Three Afghan men fled UK after gang-raping teenager in a case currently before the Bristol Crown Court. Mehrab Safi, 21, Awal Ahmadzai, 19, and Salman Habibkheil, 19, are standing trial alongside a 16-year-old boy after allegedly attacking a 17-year-old girl in the St Werburghs area of the city. Prosecutors told the jury that the suspects attempted to escape the country shortly after the incident, which occurred in the early hours of November 30.
The court heard that authorities tracked the victim to a house in Bristol, leading to the arrest of the 16-year-old defendant. Prosecutors stated that the three older defendants fled the scene as police arrived, eventually traveling to Birmingham and London before attempting to leave the country. Investigators discovered that the trio had accessed internet search terms related to sexual activity with a minor and local news reports regarding the incident.
Attempted escape across the channel
The prosecution detailed how the three suspects sought to leave the country by hiding in the back of a lorry. This attempt to exit the country was described by the prosecution as a highly unusual reversal of typical cross-channel migration patterns. French authorities intercepted the group in Calais on December 3, just three days after the alleged assault took place.
Under an arrangement between the relevant authorities, the men were sent back to English police custody by the morning of December 4. During their initial interaction with French police, the defendants reportedly provided false identities and lacked valid travel documentation. Officials eventually confirmed their real identities through police databases, leading to their formal arrest on suspicion of rape.
Evidence of the flight
Mobile phone footage recovered from the device of Mr. Safi reportedly captured the defendants while they were hidden inside the vehicle. The footage shows the men appearing to celebrate their flight, with Mr. Habibkheil making gestures toward the camera while laughing. According to the prosecution, this digital evidence serves as a significant indicator of the defendants’ mindset during their attempted departure.
“It is a direct insight into the mood of the three, we suggest, as they travel out of the UK and into France,” Edd Hetherington, prosecuting, told the court.
Grooming allegations
The prosecution case centers on allegations that the victim was groomed on Snapchat after meeting Mr. Safi in Bristol city center. It is alleged that Mr. Safi arranged a taxi to transport the girl from her home in Somerset to the property in Bristol. The court heard that the teenager was isolated in an unfamiliar location and provided with alcohol and cigarettes before the alleged abuse occurred.
Prosecutors claim that after Mr. Safi initiated contact, the other men in the house participated in the abuse over the course of several hours. The incident concluded when the victim’s mother alerted the police. Following the report, the victim provided a full account of the events to investigating officers.
The trial for the four defendants is expected to continue for three weeks under Judge Michael Cullum. Mr. Safi faces one count of human trafficking and two counts of rape. Mr. Habibkheil denies one charge of human trafficking and one count of rape. Mr. Ahmadzai faces one charge of rape and one of assault by penetration, while the 16-year-old defendant also denies one charge of rape. As the proceedings move forward, the jury will continue to examine the evidence presented by the prosecution regarding the events in St Werburghs and the subsequent attempt by the Afghan men to flee UK after gang-raping teenager.
