In Dundee, a 12-year-old girl who was arrested and charged after police initially believed Bulgarian man Ilia Belov's claims that she called him a migrant and threatened him has been vindicated after Belov was found guilty of assault. the terrified schoolgirl, now 13, was filmed brandishing a knife and axe by Belov, who had earlier called her 'sexy' and pushed her, causing her to hit her head on a metal handrail. Her mother said her daughter 'told the truth from the start' but no one believed her, including Police Scotland, according to testimony at Dundee Sheriff Court.

The 'Come here sexy' Comment and the Push That Started It All

Ilia Belov, 22, followed the 12-year-old and three other girls through the Lochee area of Dundee in August 2024, yelling 'Come here sexy. I will show you how to have a good time,' according to the court testimony reported by the source. When she called him 'creepy,' Belov shoved her, causing her to fall and strike her head on a metal handrail.. The girl then pulled an axe and knife from her waistband in self-defence, fearing Belov would 'try to go' for her sister and friends, the source reported. Belov filmed the confrontation and shared the video online, leading to her arrest.

Why Police Scotland Believed the False Migrant Claim

Belov claimed he acted in self-defence after the girl called him a 'migrant' for walking past to buy cigarettes.. However, Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith dismissed this as 'wholly unconvincing... revisionist and self-serving,' according to the source. police Scotland initially released a statement saying a 'Bulgarian couple' had been 'approached by youths,' appearing to side with Belov. The source notes that this case echoes the murder of Henry Nowak in Southampton, where police believed the lies of Sikh killer Vickrum Digwa who falsely claimed racial abuse.

Elon Musk vs. John Swinney: The Political Fallout Over a Viral Video

The video of the girl brandishing weapons was shared on X by Elon Musk , who asked: 'What kind of government arrests little girls who try to defend themselves?' But First Minister John Swinney condemned Musk's defence as 'deliberate misinformation' and accused the billionaire of trying to 'undermine' community cohesion, as the source reported. The girl was vilified online and in political discourse, with Swinney and the SNP leader criticizing Musk's intervention rather than investigating the police's initial handling.

Two Sisters, Two Trials: The Belov Siblings' Convictions

Ilia Belov was found guilty of assaulting the 12-year-old and behaving in a 'threatening or abusive manner' toward four girls aged between 12 and 14. His sister Nadjedzha Belova, 20, had already admitted assaulting the victim's older sister, then 13, by pulling her to the ground by the hair and striking her head, according to the source. Outside court, the girls' mother said all four children had been vindicated for telling the truth, adding: 'Everyone was more focused on the axe than anything else and didn't listen to what really happened.'

What the Sheriff Called 'Wholly Unconvincing' Evidence

Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith dismissed Belov's claims of self-defence as 'revisionist and self-serving,' as reported by the source. The court praised the young witnesses as 'impressive' and 'eloquent' for telling the truth. But open questions remain: Why did Police Scotland initially arrest the girl and charge her before reviewing the video fully? And who else in the police hierarchy accepted Belov's false narrative without corroboration? The source does not address any internal accountability for the initial arrest.