Three asylum seekers have been found guilty of the gang rape of a woman on Brighton beach. The court heard disturbing details of the brutal attack and the men’s predatory actions.

Details of the Conviction

Abdulla Ahmadi, 26, originally from Iran, Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, and Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, both Egyptian nationals, were convicted at Hove Crown Court following a harrowing trial. The attack occurred on October 4th of the previous year, behind a beach hut on the promenade.

The Assault

The 33-year-old victim had become separated from her friends during a night out and was heavily intoxicated. CCTV footage showed the men engaging her in conversation before leading her towards the beach.

Predatory Behavior

The court heard the three men acted as a ‘predatory pack’, targeting the vulnerable woman. Ahmadi and Alshafe brutally raped her while Al-Danasurt filmed the assault on his phone, repeatedly taunting her with abusive language, including calling her a ‘dirty b****’.

Al-Danasurt also physically assaulted the victim, forcing her mouth open and spitting in it, while encouraging his accomplices to do the same. He shockingly stated he believed ‘rape was sex’ and that the woman’s intoxication meant she couldn’t resist.

Living Conditions and Aftermath

The men were residing in a Home Office-approved hotel in West Sussex at the time, despite two being failed asylum seekers and one under investigation for immigration offences. Following the assault, they were filmed having a barbecue at the hotel, appearing without remorse.

Evidence showed the group had been ‘on the prowl’ throughout the night, harassing other women, including a friend of the victim.

Victim's Testimony

The victim bravely recounted her ordeal in court, stating she ‘begged them to stop’ but her pleas were ignored. She described the lasting trauma, saying the men’s laughter haunts her and they have ‘ruined her life’.

Prosecution and Verdict

The jury deliberated for over 16 hours before reaching unanimous verdicts. Prosecutors emphasized the men’s predatory behavior, stating they did not see the woman as a person but as an object for sexual gratification.

Hanna Llewellyn-Waters, prosecuting, stated the men exploited the woman’s incapacitated state, rendering her extremely vulnerable. The men filmed themselves preparing for the night and partying before encountering the victim.

After the attack, they returned to their hotel and filmed themselves enjoying a barbecue, demonstrating a callous disregard for their crime. The victim recalled drifting in and out of consciousness, feeling paralyzed and suspecting her drink may have been spiked.