‘Laughing’ Afghan nationals ‘celebrated’ fleeing UK after raping teenager | UK | News
Three Afghan nationals “laughed and celebrated” after raping a teenage girl and fleeing England in the back of a lorry. Mehrab Safi, 21, filmed his two friends, Awal Ahmadzai and Salman Habibkheil, both 19, in the getaway car three days after raping the 17-year-old at a house in Bristol.
Cell phone footage obtained from Safi’s phone showed Habibkheil, the three defendants in the back of the truck, gesticulating and laughing at the camera. Shortly after arriving in Calais they were discovered by French authorities and sent back to the United Kingdom; where they were immediately arrested, along with a 17-year-old boy, on suspicion of rape.
Prosecutor Edd Hetherington told the jury: “This gives a direct insight into the state of mind of the three as they traveled from the UK to France.
“The prosecution says that during this journey, Safi was the person who took out his phone and started filming.
“Mr. Habibkheil, the man in the corner gesturing and laughing, and Mr. Ahmadzai, the thing legitimately being carried in the back of that truck is almost lying there.
“We suggest they celebrate because they think they got away with it.”
The attack took place just days after the girl met Safi while Christmas shopping with a friend in Bristol city centre.
The court heard Safi groomed the girl over Snapchat – including asking her for nude photos – before arranging a taxi to take her to Bristol in the early hours of November 30.
At the property, the girl was given cigarettes and vodka before being raped by Safi and Habibkheil.
After sleeping, she was raped and sexually assaulted by Ahmadzai, then raped by the 17-year-old boy. Later that morning, Safi raped the girl again.
Safi was found guilty of one count of human trafficking and two counts of rape, Habibkheil was found guilty of one count of human trafficking and one count of rape, and Ahmadzai was found guilty of one count of rape and one count of assault by influence.
The 17-year-old was convicted on a single charge of rape. They will all be sentenced on October 6.
