A 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by four Afghan nationals, including a 16-year-old boy, after being lured to a house in Bristol and supplied with vodka and cigarettes, a court has heard. The allegations involve Mehrab Safi, 21, Awal Ahmadzai, 19, Salman Habibkheil, 19, and a 16-year-old boy, who are currently standing trial at Bristol Crown Court.
Teen Met Defendant While Christmas Shopping
Jurors heard that the teenager had been shopping with a friend at Cabot Circus Shopping Centre in Bristol when she met Safi, whom she had not known previously. According to the prosecution, Safi later asked the girl to add him on Snapchat and subsequently requested nude photographs from her on November 28.
Four Afghans gang-raped a teenage girl in Bristol before fleeing the country.
They groomed the girl on Snapchat and plied her with alcohol.
The latest tragedy in a long list of sex crimes perpetuated by Afghan nationals. pic.twitter.com/llxFUu7h1I
— Centre for Migration Control (@migrationCtrl) June 9, 2026
Two days later, prosecutors allege Safi arranged for a taxi to transport the girl from her home in Somerset to Bristol during the early hours of the morning.
The court heard that the teenager was initially dropped off in an industrial area of Bristol, where Safi and Habibkheil were allegedly waiting. Prosecutors said the group then travelled by taxi to a house in the St Werburghs area of the city. Once there, the girl was allegedly provided with cigarettes and vodka before being subjected to a series of sexual assaults.
Prosecution Alleges Sexual Abuse
Opening the case, prosecutor Ed Hetherington told jurors: ‘The prosecution says that they sexually abused a young girl whom Mr Safi had met and begun grooming only days before the rapes took place. On November 30 last year, Mr Safi and Mr Habibkheil arranged for her to be brought by taxi to meet them in Bristol in the early hours of a Sunday morning.
Once she arrived, she was taken to a home in St Werburghs, and she was rapidly expected to have sex with Mr Safi. Although she didn’t want to yet, it happened anyway. Mr Hetherington told the court that after the alleged rape by Safi, the other defendants allegedly ‘took it in turns to get her alone in a bedroom or in a bed and to have sex with her against her wishes’.
Alleged Assault Lasted Several Hours
The prosecution further alleged that the teenager was ‘plied with alcohol and cigarettes to secure her compliance’. Mr Hetherington added: ‘She was alone.’ She was isolated in an unfamiliar city, far from home, in the middle of the night, with a house full of men she didn’t know.
‘We say she was raped and she was abused repeatedly over a period of several hours.’ Jurors were told that the alleged incident ended after the girl’s mother contacted police.
Defendants Deny Charges
Safi denies one count of human trafficking and two counts of rape. Habibkheil has pleaded not guilty to one count of human trafficking and one count of rape.
Ahmadzai denies one count of rape and one count of assault by penetration, while the 16-year-old defendant denies one count of rape. The trial at Bristol Crown Court is expected to last up to three weeks.
ALSO READ: Indian-Origin Family Of Three Found Dead After Fall From 36th-Floor London Apartment
Harshita is a journalist and digital content writer specializing in breaking news, current affairs, travel, education, and trending stories. She is focused on delivering accurate, timely, and engaging content with a strong emphasis on clarity and audience relevance.
