Three men and one teenage boy originally from Afghanistan have been sentenced for raping a teenage girl in Bristol. Mehrab Safi, 21, Awal Ahmadzai and Salman Habibkheil, both 19, and a 17-year-old boy – who cannot be named for legal reasons – attacked the 17-year-old girl at a house in Bristol in November last year.
Offenders fled UK before arrest
Police attended the property and Safi, Ahmadzai and Habibkheil fled – travelling to Birmingham and London before going into the back of a refrigerated lorry to reach France. They were picked up by French authorities and returned to British police, before being charged with offences including rape and human trafficking.
Sentences handed down at Bristol Crown Court
Judge Michael Cullum jailed Safi, who was convicted of two counts of rape and one of human trafficking following a trial at Bristol Crown Court, for 15 years. Habibkheil was sentenced to nine years in detention for one count of rape and one of human trafficking, while Ahmadzai was sentenced to nine years in detention for one count of rape and one of sexual assault.
The 17-year-old defendant, who cannot be identified because of his age, was sentenced to three years in detention for one count of rape.
Victim describes lasting impact
In a victim impact statement read out to the court, the girl said: "I had a lot more friends, I would go out a lot more, I was happier. Now, I've stopped going out, I don't even leave the house in general."
"If I ever leave the house, it is only with my best friend or mum. I would not be able to go out by myself, even the thought of that makes me panic."
"Generally my brain keeps blocking out the trauma that happened to me, but when I am feeling low emotionally it all comes back and makes me feel even worse."
"Sometimes I would dream about what happened, which I was not expecting – and I do not like those dreams at all."
Avon and Somerset Police said the girl, who was from Somerset, was plied with alcohol when she arrived at the house. She was then sexually assaulted and raped over a number of hours by the three men and teenager.
Det Sgt Jo Babbage said: "It's clear that that's where the grooming and the contact process was started that led up to her being brought into Bristol by taxi which was arranged [by Safi]."
