Teen girl ‘taken to UK home’ where ‘four Afghans gave her vodka and raped her’ | UK | News

A teenage girl told a police officer that four Afghan nationals had sex with her after becoming friends days earlier, a court heard.

Mehrab Safi, 21, Awal Ahmadzai, 19, and Salman Habibkheil, 16, are accused of attacking the 17-year-old girl at a house in Bristol in November last year. The jury was told the alleged attack took place just days after the girl met Safi while Christmas shopping with a friend in Bristol city centre.

Safi allegedly groomed the girl via Snapchat before arranging for a taxi to take her from her home in Somerset to Bristol on the morning of November 30. Bristol Crown Court heard the girl was given cigarettes and vodka at the premises before she was allegedly raped by Safi and the other defendants. Later that morning, police found the girl at home in the St Werburghs area after her mother reported her missing.

The court heard the 16-year-old was arrested at the scene, but the other defendants escaped and were later arrested by French authorities after hiding in the back of a lorry heading from England to France.

PC Sophie Fraser was one of the first officers to arrive at the home and spoke to the girl, who appeared “dazed and slightly confused”. “I asked him if there was something bad he wanted to tell me,” she said.

“It was at this point that she said, ‘I can’t say it was rape because everything was consensual, but they all fucked me, so yeah…’

“I said ‘almost consensual’ didn’t seem very consensual to me.” He replied: ‘I didn’t say no, so I didn’t think it was a bad thing. But to be honest I didn’t think they were all going to fuck me. I thought it would just be the person I was talking to. I didn’t think they would do anything but they did it anyway.’

“The first time, she said she drank a lot of alcohol, the man told her to take off her trousers, and she agreed. He confirmed that it was Mehrab.”

The jury was told that after Safi left the bedroom, Habibkheil allegedly raped the girl, then Ahmadzai and finally the 16-year-old defendant. “She also said that while she was sleeping, the fourth man started spooning her and took off his pants and in her words, ‘He started fucking me and I was half asleep and I didn’t really consent to it’.”

PC Fraser confirmed he included the word “rape” in their conversation and the girl said she knew what it meant.

Jenny Tallentire, representing Safi, suggested PC Fraser asked leading questions to the girl, expressing her opinion about what she had been told. Ms Tallentire said: “You were in a position of authority as a police officer speaking to a young lady. Can you see what impact your comments might have had in this situation?” he asked.

“Yes,” replied PC Fraser. “They might have had an influence, especially over this young woman, and what might they have thought of these men? Can you see that when you look back?” the lawyer asked. he asked. “Yes,” he replied.

The court heard that in cases where sexual offenses are reported to the police, a specially trained first responder should be tasked with speaking to the complainant. “You were aware that you were not a first responder, so you shouldn’t ask too many questions. You knew that as part of your training,” Ms. Tallentire asked.

PC Fraser replied: “There was still some information we needed to justify the arrest.” Mrs Tallentire continued: “There was no need to ask any further questions about the previous events at the house because you had enough questions to get an arrest.

“To make sure you found the right people, you just had to know who they were and leave it to the first responder.”

He answered: ‘Yes’. The lawyer asked, “After thinking about it, do you think you should do this?” he asked. “No,” he replied. “In doing so there is a risk of influencing his view of what happened. Do you accept that now?” asked the lawyer. “Yes, I accept,” he replied.

Safi, of St Werburghs, Bristol, denies one charge of human trafficking and two charges of rape. Habibkheil, of Bristol Lockleaze, denies one charge of human trafficking and one count of rape.

Ahmadzai, of Redcliffe, Bristol, denies one charge of rape and one charge of assault by penetration. The 16-year-old also denies a rape charge.

The hearing was postponed to next week.