Two teenage Afghan asylum seekers have been sentenced for abducting and raping a 15-year-old girl in Leamington Spa. Jan Jahanzeb and Israr Niazal, both 17, received custodial sentences at Warwick Crown Court on Monday and were ordered to register as sex offenders for life.
The court heard that in May, the pair led the distressed victim into a 'den-type' area before pushing her to the ground and attacking her. Judge De Bertodano said they had 'robbed' the girl of her childhood, adding: 'What you two did on that evening changed [the victim's] life for ever.'
In a victim impact statement, the girl said: 'The day I was raped changed me as a person. Every time I go out I don't feel safe.' Her mother described how their 'vibrant happy and confident' daughter now suffers severe anxiety, often being physically sick.
Jahanzeb was sentenced to 10 years and eight months in youth detention, and Niazal to nine years and 10 months. Both face possible deportation; Jahanzeb has already been served with deportation papers, and the judge invited the government to recommend deportation for Niazal.
The judge lifted reporting restrictions on the defendants' identities, stating that 'a lack of information stokes public anger and leads to the unchecked spread of false information.' She noted the pair had 'betrayed' those seeking sanctuary in Britain.
Both teenagers arrived in the UK from Afghanistan as unaccompanied child asylum seekers, Jahanzeb in January and Niazal in November 2024. Detective Chief Inspector Richard Hobbs of Warwickshire Police said the pair 'went out of their way to befriend the victim with the intention of raping her.'
