A teenage girl informed a police officer that four Afghan nationals had sexual intercourse with her after she befriended one of them days earlier, a court has heard. Mehrab Safi, 21, Awal Ahmadzai and Salman Habibkheil, both 19, and a 16-year-old boy are accused of assaulting the 17-year-old girl at a residence in Bristol in November of last year.
Details of the Alleged Attack
The jury was told the alleged incident occurred days after the girl met Safi while Christmas shopping with a friend in Bristol city centre. Safi allegedly groomed the girl on Snapchat before arranging a taxi to transport her from her home in Somerset to Bristol in the early hours of November 30. At the property, the girl was provided with cigarettes and vodka before being allegedly raped by Safi and his co-defendants, Bristol Crown Court heard.
Later that morning, police found the girl at the house in the St Werburghs area after her mother reported her missing. The 16-year-old boy was arrested at the scene, but his co-accused fled and were later arrested by French authorities after hiding in the back of a lorry travelling from the UK to France, the court heard.
Police Officer's Testimony
PC Sophie Fraser was one of the first officers to arrive at the house and spoke with the girl, who appeared “dazed and a little bit confused.” “I asked her if anything bad had happened that she wanted to tell me about,” she said. “It was at this point she said, ‘Well, I wouldn’t say it’s rape because it’s all pretty like consensual, but they all did f*** me, so yeah…’
“I said that ‘pretty much consensual’ didn’t seem consensual to me. She replied saying, ‘Well I didn’t say no, so I didn’t think it was like bad. But to be fair, I didn’t think they were all going to f*** me. I thought it was just going to be one which was the one that I was speaking to. I didn’t think they were going to do anything but they did anyway’.
“She said she had quite a bit of alcohol with the first one and he told her to take her trousers off and she just went along with it. She confirmed that was Mehrab.”
The jury has been told that after Safi left the bedroom, Habibkheil is then alleged to have raped the girl, followed by Ahmadzai, and finally the 16-year-old defendant. “She also went on to say that when she was asleep the fourth male started spooning her and took her trousers off and in her words, ‘Started f****** me and I was half-asleep and I didn’t really consent to that’.”
Defence Cross-Examination
PC Fraser confirmed that she had introduced the word “rape” into their conversation and the girl said she knew what it meant. Jenny Tallentire, representing Safi, suggested to PC Fraser she had been asking the girl leading questions by expressing an opinion on what she was being told. “You were in a position of authority as a police officer talking to a young lady. Can you see how your comments in that situation may have had an impact?” Miss Tallentire asked. “Yes,” PC Fraser replied.
“In particular, they may have had an impact upon this young woman and what she might have thought about these men? Can you see that looking back?” the barrister asked. “Yes,” she replied.
The court heard that in cases where sexual offences are reported to police, a specially trained first response officer should be tasked with speaking with the complainant. “You were aware you were not a first response officer so you should not be asking too many questions. You knew that as part of your training,” Miss Tallentire asked. PC Fraser replied: “There was still some information we would need for grounds to arrest.”
Miss Tallentire went on: “You didn’t need to ask more questions about the earlier events in the house because you had enough for arrest. You just needed to know who they were to make sure you got the right people and leave it to the first response officer.” She replied: “Yes.” “Do you think upon reflection you should have done that?” the barrister asked. “No,” she replied. “In doing that there is a risk you might influence her view of what happened. Do you accept that now?” the barrister asked. “Yes, I do,” she replied.
Defendants and Charges
Safi, of St Werburghs, Bristol, denies one count of human trafficking and two charges of rape. Habibkheil, of Lockleaze, Bristol, denies one count of human trafficking and one charge of rape. Ahmadzai, of Redcliffe, Bristol, denies one charge of rape and one of assault by penetration. The 16-year-old boy also denies one charge of rape. The trial was adjourned until next week.
