Ahmad Mulakhil, a 23-year-old Afghan asylum seeker, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for abducting and raping a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, in July 2023. The attacks sparked large-scale anti-asylum protests in the town.
Mulakhil was found guilty of rape, child abduction, taking an indecent video, and two counts of sexual assault. He admitted a second rape charge before his trial. The court heard that he filmed himself during the assault.
Sentencing at Warwick Crown Court, Judge Kristina Montgomery KC said the victim continues to suffer trauma and medical issues. She noted that Mulakhil targeted the girl after meeting her earlier that evening and that he knew she was under 16 despite her claiming to be 19.
The judge described the attack as having 'the highest level' of culpability, leaving the victim distressed and hypervigilant in a dark park. Mulakhil will serve 15 years in prison plus an extra 12 months on licence.
Mulakhil arrived in the UK on a small boat four months before the offences, claiming asylum after fleeing the Taliban. His defence said he had planned to study economics but fled due to Taliban threats.
Co-defendant Mohammad Kabir, also an Afghan asylum seeker, was acquitted of intentional strangulation, attempted child abduction, and a sexual offence charge.
