Seven men have been charged with more than 40 offences against 11 teenage victims as part of a major investigation into group-based child sexual exploitation in Bristol, UK, Avon and Somerset Police confirmed.
The offences are alleged to have taken place between 2022 and 2025, involving victims in their mid to late teens. The accused include two Syrians, one Iranian, and two British nationals. The investigation began in November 2023 after concerns were raised about the exploitation of a teenage girl.
Those charged are Mohamed Arafe and Hussain Bashar, both 19; Mohammed Kurdi and Wadie Sharaf, both 21; and Sina Omari, 20—all from Bristol. They are joined by two others, aged 19 and 26, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
Charges include multiple counts of rape, arranging the exploitation of a child, sexual assault, and possession of indecent images.
Initial arrests were made in April 2024, with suspects released on bail as inquiries continued. “This remains a complex and sensitive investigation which has the protection of young girls from exploitation and the disruption of offending at its very heart,” said Detective Chief Inspector Tom Herbert.
The Bristol case has once again raised concerns about migrant-related crime and the handling of offenders within the UK’s justice and deportation system. Just last month Hadush Kebatu— convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and an adult woman—was mistakenly released from prison before deportation to Ethiopia. The Home Office confirmed he was paid £500 in public funds to leave the country. His release sparked protests outside migrant hotels and prompted an independent inquiry.
