A harrowing case unfolded at Warwick Crown Court today as jurors heard how a 12-year-old girl was discovered 'mumbling and crying' in a street after being subjected to a brutal rape by an Afghan man. The court was presented with distressing details of the attack, which occurred in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, last July.
Chilling Testimony from Witnesses
Prosecutors described how the schoolgirl was found by two adults, whose identities are protected for legal reasons, shortly after the assault. One witness recounted the girl's terrified state, noting she had a love-bite on her neck and repeatedly expressed fear that her attacker would return.
The witness stated: 'She said her back was hurting because they ''ragged'' her around. She was very scared. She said ''he's coming for me'' and knew he was still in the park. She was very worried that he was going to come across the road and try and get her.'
Alleged Sequence of Events
The court heard that Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, and Mohammad Kabir, 24, both Afghan nationals with no fixed addresses, targeted the girl in a playground. According to the prosecution, Kabir attempted to strangle the youngster before Mulakhil repeatedly raped her, taking photographs during the attack.
Another witness described the victim as 'very frantic, she was looking over her shoulder' and 'petrified, frantic, she was crying. It scared me.' The girl reportedly told witnesses she thought the men were safe because they were adults, highlighting her vulnerability.
Legal Proceedings and Charges
In his opening statement, prosecutor Mr Oscroft outlined the Crown's case to a jury of seven men and five women. He alleged that Kabir tried to abduct the girl with sexual intent, while Mulakhil later led her to a secluded cul-de-sac called Cheverel Place, where the rape and sexual assaults occurred.
Mulakhil has pleaded guilty to a charge of oral rape but denies further offences including child abduction, two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and taking indecent photographs of a child. Kabir denies intentional strangulation, committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence, and attempting to take a child.
Context of the Attack
The court was told that Kabir allegedly strangled the girl around 6pm while she was playing in a park. Later, at approximately 8pm, she was seen talking to Mulakhil, to whom she falsely claimed to be 19 years old. This interaction preceded the alleged rape in the secluded location.
The trial continues at Warwick Crown Court, with the prosecution emphasising the predatory nature of the offences against a child in a community setting. The case has drawn attention to issues of child safety and legal responses to such severe crimes.
