Four Afghan nationals, including a 16-year-old boy, are on trial in Britain accused of repeatedly raping a 17-year-old girl over several hours after allegedly grooming her online and transporting her to Bristol in late November 2025.
Mehrab Safi, 21, Awal Ahmadzai, 19, and Salman Habibkheil, 19, along with the juvenile, allegedly groomed the victim after Safi approached her in Bristol’s Cabot Circus. Court proceedings at Bristol Crown Court heard that Safi added the girl on Snapchat and requested nude photos before organising a taxi to bring her from Somerset to Bristol in the early hours.
Once there, she was allegedly taken to a property in the St. Werburghs area, plied with vodka and cigarettes, and allegedly raped by all four defendants. Prosecutor Ed Hetherington told the court the girl was isolated, alone in an unfamiliar city at night, and subjected to repeated sexual abuse against her will over several hours. The alleged assault came to an end after the girl’s mother alerted police.
Three of the adult suspects fled the scene as officers arrived, travelling to London and Birmingham before crossing to France hidden in a lorry. French police detained them in Calais on 3 December 2025; they reportedly gave false names before being returned to the UK. Safi faces two rape charges and one of human trafficking. Habibkheil denies human trafficking and rape. Ahmadzai denies rape and assault by penetration. The 16-year-old denies rape. The trial is expected to last up to three weeks.
The allegations in Bristol are likely to reignite debate over migrant crime and integration policies across Europe, where several other group sexual assault cases involving recent arrivals are currently before the courts.
In and around Maastricht in the Netherlands and nearby Heinsberg in Germany, separate serious sexual offence investigations are underway involving young female victims and groups of suspects primarily from Syria.
In Heinsberg-Unterbruch, just over the German border from Limburg, five men aged 17–26 (four Syrian and one reportedly from Iran) face charges over the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl (reportedly of Azerbaijani origin) on 18 October 2025 in a private residence. Four of the five have reportedly confessed, according to regional media. They remain in pre-trial custody, with a verdict expected later in 2026.
Separately, in Maastricht, three Syrians are suspected of raping an 18-year-old Dutch student after pulling her from her bicycle and taking her to a property in October 2024. A possible fourth Syrian man is also linked to the case. Additional sexual offence allegations surround at least one of the suspects. The men remain in custody after a release request was denied in March 2026.
