A Sudanese national residing in migrant accommodation has been accused of raping a woman at the rear of the very court building where his trial is being held, while simultaneously filming the assault on his mobile phone. The shocking details emerged during proceedings at Portsmouth Crown Court, where the defendant stands charged with both rape and voyeurism.
Alleged Attack in Court Building Vehicle Bay
The court heard that the incident occurred in the early hours of June 11, 2025, within the vehicle entry bay of Portsmouth Crown Court. Prosecutors described how the complainant reported being "terrified" and "frozen" during the alleged assault, with the defendant becoming "more forceful" before pulling down her trousers and raping her.
Mubarak Ibrehim, a 25-year-old Sudanese national living at the Royal Beach Hotel in Southsea, Hampshire, denies both charges. The jury was informed that during the alleged rape, a male voice could be heard on the recording saying "don't worry" to the woman.
Conflicting Accounts of Consent
Giving evidence through an Egyptian Arabic interpreter, Ibrehim presented a starkly different version of events. He claimed to have met the complainant inside the Astoria nightclub in Portsmouth city centre, where they danced together before leaving separately.
According to his testimony, he was walking home to his hotel when two boys informed him that the complainant and her friend were looking for him. He stated that when he found her sitting on a kerb, she invited him to sit with her, asked "Can I kiss you," and initiated their physical contact.
"She dragged me to the court building vehicle bay," Ibrehim told the court. "She took my hand and pulled me there, she led me. I was asking 'Where are we going?' When we approached the corner she was pulling me, I found it strange and thinking 'Where is she taking me?'"
The Filming and Aftermath
Ibrehim admitted filming the sexual encounter on his mobile phone but claimed this was to demonstrate consent. He explained his "don't worry" comment by saying the woman thought he would film her face, so he reassured her.
"When I started to film, I said 'Don't worry' because she thought I was going to film her face so I said 'Don't worry'," he testified. "She consented and she was taking my clothes off. If she doesn't like it, she can just leave, there are no walls, it's not a house."
The following day, Ibrehim sent the complainant a WhatsApp message saying, "I really enjoyed meeting you at the party last night, do you remember me?" The woman responded by accusing him of hurting her and taking advantage of her intoxicated state, after which he stopped replying.
Prosecution's Case and Background
Prosecutor Ed Hand detailed how the complainant had left the Astoria nightclub with a friend around 3am. While her friend went into an alleyway to buy drugs, the alleged victim waited on a kerb, where Ibrehim approached her.
CCTV footage showed the pair kissing before walking out of shot into the court building's vehicle bay for approximately five minutes. When the woman later learned Ibrehim had filmed the incident, she told police it "made her feel physically sick."
Ibrehim revealed during proceedings that he arrived in the UK "unlawfully" on a small inflatable boat from France in October 2023 and is seeking political asylum. He told the jury he was from Darfur in Sudan, stating, "Since I was born, there was war in my country."
Jury to Visit Scene
In an unusual move, Judge Daniel Sawyer informed jurors they would be taken to the scene of the alleged incident. "Ordinarily I would tell you not to go to the location but in this case it's just out the back of the building and it would be utterly pointless, you can see most of it from your jury retiring room," he explained.
The prosecution maintains that Ibrehim stopped the incident because he was "afraid of being seen," while the defendant insists the encounter was entirely consensual. The trial continues as both sides present their evidence to determine what transpired during those early morning hours behind the courthouse.
