Three asylum seekers have been found guilty of the gang rape of a woman on Brighton beach following a predatory attack on a heavily intoxicated victim. The men, from Iran and Egypt, demonstrated a shocking disregard for the woman’s safety and dignity, filming the assault and showing a disturbing lack of remorse.

Details of the Conviction

Abdulla Ahmadi, 26, originally from Iran, and Egyptians Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, and Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, were convicted by a Hove Crown Court jury of repeatedly raping the 33-year-old victim. The assault occurred behind a beach hut on October 4th of the previous year.

The Attack and Evidence

The court heard the trio targeted the woman, who was heavily intoxicated and separated from her friends after a night out, behaving as a 'predatory pack'. CCTV footage showed the men engaging the victim in conversation before leading her towards the beach, where the brutal assault took place.

Al-Danasurt filmed the attack on his phone, subjecting the woman to verbal abuse, repeatedly calling her derogatory names, and even spitting in her face while encouraging his accomplices. He claimed during the trial that he believed ‘rape was sex’, stating the woman was too drunk to offer resistance.

Defendants' Background and Behavior

The three defendants were residing in the UK while awaiting the outcome of their asylum claims, with two housed in a Home Office-approved hotel in West Sussex. Following the assault, the men were captured on CCTV enjoying a barbecue at their taxpayer-funded hotel in Brighton, seemingly without remorse.

Prosecutors described their actions as a deliberate hunt for a vulnerable victim, emphasizing they viewed her not as a person but as an object for their gratification. Evidence showed the men had been ‘on the prowl’ throughout the night, engaging in inappropriate behavior with other women.

Victim's Impact Statement

In a powerful statement to the court, the victim recounted her ordeal, stating she felt ‘ruined’ and haunted by the memory of their laughter during the attack. She described feeling powerless and helpless, begging them to stop while experiencing a terrifying loss of control.

Trial and Aftermath

The jury deliberated for over 16 hours before reaching their unanimous verdicts, with Al-Danasurt notably grinning as he was led away to a prison van. Hanna Llewellyn-Waters, prosecuting, argued the men intentionally sought out someone unable to consent, motivated solely by their own sexual gratification and the degradation of the victim.

The defendants had filmed themselves preparing for the night out and partying in nightclubs before encountering the victim. After the attack, they returned to their hotel and filmed themselves having a barbecue, demonstrating a shocking lack of empathy or remorse. The convictions raise serious questions about the vetting and monitoring of asylum seekers and the safety of vulnerable individuals.