Three men and a teenage boy, all originally from Afghanistan, have been handed prison sentences for the rape of a teenage girl in Bristol. Mehrab Safi, 21, Awal Ahmadzai and Salman Habibkheil, both 19, along with a 17-year-old boy – who cannot be identified due to legal restrictions – sexually assaulted the 17-year-old girl at a Bristol property in November last year.
Flight and Arrest
Upon police arrival at the scene, Safi, Ahmadzai and Habibkheil made their escape – fleeing to Birmingham and London before hiding in the back of a refrigerated lorry bound for France. They were apprehended by French authorities and handed over to British police, where they were subsequently charged with crimes including rape and human trafficking.
Sentences Handed Down
Judge Michael Cullum sentenced Safi, found guilty of two counts of rape and one count of human trafficking following a trial at Bristol Crown Court, to 15 years behind bars. Habibkheil received a nine-year detention sentence for one count of rape and one of human trafficking. Ahmadzai was also sentenced to nine years in detention for one count of rape and one of sexual assault. The 17-year-old defendant, whose identity is protected due to his age, was sentenced to three years in detention for one count of rape.
