An Afghan asylum seeker was found guilty of raping a 12-year-old girl in a case that sparked local protests and a political row over migrant safety.
LONDON: An Afghan asylum seeker has been convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl in central England. The case ignited local protests and a political controversy after police initially withheld his immigration status.
Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, was found guilty of one count of raping a child under 13 in Nuneaton last July. He was cleared of a second count of the same charge following a trial at Warwick Crown Court.
Mulakhil had previously pleaded guilty to another rape count. He was also convicted of abducting a child, two counts of sexual assault and making indecent images of a child.
His co-defendant, Mohammad Kabir, 24, was found not guilty of all charges against him. These included attempting to take a child and intentional strangulation in connection with an earlier encounter with the victim.
Prosecutor Daniel Oscroft told jurors that Mulakhil led the victim to a “secluded cul-de-sac … where he raped her, sexually assaulted her and took indecent images of her”. The trial concluded on Tuesday.
The case has been highlighted by anti-immigration activists who argue asylum seekers pose a danger to communities. Pro-migrant groups counter that far-right groups are exploiting such cases to inflame tensions.
Mulakhil will be sentenced at a later date.
