Brighton Beach Gang Rape Trial - Weekly Update

SMALL BOAT MIGRANT ACCUSED OF BRIGHTON BEACH GANG RAPE 'ABSCONDED' AFTER ATTACK

An Iranian asylum seeker accused of participating in a brutal gang rape on Brighton beach "absconded" from his Home Office hotel just twenty-four hours after the incident, a court has heard.

Abdulla Ahmadi, 26, is currently on trial alongside Egyptian nationals Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, and Karin Al-Danasurt, 20. The trio are accused of targeting a 33-year-old woman who was described out as "heavily intoxicated" and "vulnerable" after a night out in October 2024. The prosecution alleges that after the attack, Ahmadi fled his government-approved accommodation in Horsham, West Sussex, travelling over 200 miles to Crewe, Cheshire, in an unapproved move.

The 'Hidden Folder' and Trophy Allegations

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The most chilling evidence presented to the jury involved forensic analysis of Ahmadi’s mobile phone. Following his arrest in Crewe, police discovered three videos of the alleged rape despite Ahmadi refusing to give the police the PIN to his phone.

The prosecution, led by Hanna Llewellyn-Waters, stated that Ahmadi had placed two of the clips into a "hidden folder" and had manually deleted a third.

The court heard that Ahmadi had repeatedly accessed these videos, with forensic logs showing a clip was viewed as recently as the day of his arrest.

"Were you watching this to revisit your experience of raping her? Was it hidden so you could keep it as a trophy, so you could watch it at your leisure?" — Hanna Llewellyn-Waters, Prosecuting

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Ahmadi denied all knowledge of the videos, despite refusing to provide police with his PIN and claiming that no one else had access to his device.

The Defense: "I Am Not a Sex Maniac"

Ahmadi, speaking through an interpreter, maintained that the sexual encounter behind a beach shack was entirely consensual. He claimed the woman had approached the men outside a nightclub, kissed them, and groped them before suggesting sex.

He alleged that he only ceased sexual activity when Karin Al-Danasurt allegedly slapped the woman and spat in her mouth. Ahmadi claimed he was "disgusted" by his friend’s actions, calling him an "animal," and stated, "After somebody did something so disgusting in front of me, I’m not feeling sexy anymore."

Read more: Brighton Beach Rape Trial: Asylum Seekers Blame Each Other In Dock

Evidence of Vulnerability

The prosecution countered this narrative by playing CCTV footage from the Brighton seafront. The jury saw the 33-year-old complainant stumbling and staggering in the early hours of the morning, appearing to be drifting in and out of consciousness.

The victim told police she was "dragged onto the beach" by "evil men" who have "ruined her life." She testified that she was barely able to stand after becoming separated from her friends at approximately 5:00 am.

Small Boats and Home Office Accommodation

The trial provided a window into the lives of the defendants prior to the alleged attack. The court heard:

Ahmadi and Alshafe arrived in the UK via a small boat on June 19, 2025.

They were housed at the Cisswood House Hotel in Horsham, a Home Office-approved facility.

All three defendants were receiving £9 per week in support from the Home Office.

They were permitted to "come and go as they pleased," which allowed them to travel to Brighton on the night of the incident.

Current Charges

Abdulla Ahmadi & Ibrahim Alshafe: Deny multiple counts of rape.

Karin Al-Danasurt: Denies four counts of rape and one count of sharing intimate videos of the attack.

The trial continues at Lewes Crown Court in Hove