Afghan Migrant Admits Raping 12yo Girl in Nuneaton - Faces More Charges

An Afghan national dramatically changed his plea to guilty on one grave count of raping a 12-year-old girl during a hearing at Warwick Crown Court on Friday.

Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, of no fixed abode, entered the admission when rearraigned before Judge Kristina Montgomery KC on a single charge of raping a child under 13, an offence alleged to have occurred in Nuneaton on 22 July this year.

Appearing via video link from custody and assisted by a Farsi interpreter, Mulakhil confirmed his name before formally pleading guilty to the count.

He continues, however, to deny a series of further serious charges, including attempting to abduct a child, two additional counts of rape of a child under 13, and two counts of sexual assault upon a child under 13.

At an earlier plea and trial preparation hearing in August, Mulakhil had entered not guilty pleas to the full indictment.

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His co-defendant, Mohammad Kabir, also 23 and of no fixed abode, maintained his previous not guilty pleas to attempting to take a child, aiding and abetting the rape of a child under 13, and intentional strangulation.

Kabir, assisted by a Pashto interpreter, spoke only to confirm his personal details during the brief proceedings.

Warwickshire Police have previously confirmed both defendants are Afghan nationals.

The case arose from an incident on 22 July in which a 12-year-old girl was allegedly subjected to a sustained sexual attack.

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Following the initial charges, the matter attracted public attention when protesters gathered outside Nuneaton Town Hall on 9 August, waving St George’s Cross and Union flags while chanting anti-immigration slogans.