Three hotel migrants who arrived in the UK via small boats have appeared in court charged with dragging a woman on to a beach and raping her in a popular UK seaside city. Two Egyptians and an Iranian Kurdish man are accused of gang raping a 33-year-old British woman on Brighton beach.
The three failed asylum seekers appeared at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday, where a trial date was set for next year. Egyptians Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, and Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, were living in a Home Office run migrant hotel in Sussex when the woman was attacked. Whilst, Alshafe, 25, discovered his application for asylum in the UK had been turned down hours before the attack was alleged to have occurred, reports The Telegraph.
All three men appeared in the dock today wearing grey tracksuits and spoke to confirm their names. John Livingstone, prosecuting, told the court: “This is a high profile, very serious case.”
The woman said she was attacked in the early hours of Saturday, October 4 after being at a nightclub in Brighton. At a previous hearing, she was described as vulnerable and intoxicated.
Ahmadi, Al-Danasurt and Alshafe are alleged to have carried the victim to the beach in the early hours of the morning, the court heard.
The men were all remanded into custody to appear at the same court in December, with a provisional trial set for next March.
In an earlier statement, a Home Office spokesperson said: “These allegations are shocking and we share the public’s outrage. Our thoughts are with the victim of this horrific crime.
“We are receiving regular updates from Sussex Police. The priority must now be for the police to investigate so those responsible are brought to justice.”
Detective Superintendent Andy Harbour said: “This has been a fast-paced investigation with all three suspects having been identified through thorough investigative work.
“I commend the bravery of the victim who we continue to support with specialist officers.
“I understand how distressing this incident will be for the community and our dedicated partnership operations to protect women and girls will continue in earnest.
“Three men have been remanded in custody, and we are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with the investigation.
“If you have any information that could assist the investigation, please contact police online or via 101, quoting Operation Brampton.”