Afghan men jailed for rape of teenager after being caught fleeing UK by French police
Three Afghan nationals have been sentenced to prison for the rape of a teenager in Bristol after being apprehended by French police while attempting to flee the UK. The victim described the lasting psychological trauma caused by the assault.
Why it matters
The case highlights issues surrounding human trafficking, sexual violence, and the complexities of international law enforcement cooperation.
Image source, Avon and Somerset Police Image caption, Awal Ahmadzai, Salman Habibkheil and Mehrab Safi fled the UK after committing a string of sexual offences against a 17-year-old girl
Three Afghan nationals who raped a teenager, before being stopped by French police as they fled the UK in the back of a lorry, have been jailed.
Mehrab Safi, 21, Awal Ahmadzai and Salman Habibkheli, both 19, were found guilty on 26 June of multiple offences against the girl at a house in St Werburghs, Bristol, last year.
Safi first met the 17-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, while she was Christmas shopping, and groomed her over Snapchat before paying for a taxi to bring her to Bristol.
Safi was jailed for 15 years at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday, while Habibkheli and Ahmadzai were both sentenced to nine years in a youth detention centre.
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