Failed Asylum Seeker Claims 'Rape is Sex' During Brighton Beach Gang Rape Trial
A failed asylum seeker accused of participating in the gang rape of an unconscious intoxicated woman has told a jury that 'rape is sex' when questioned about his understanding of consent. Egyptian national Karin Al-Danasurt stated he filmed his two friends allegedly raping the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, on Brighton beach after his own asylum application had been rejected.
Disturbing Testimony in Hove Courtroom
Al-Danasurt informed Lewes Crown Court in Hove that the 33-year-old victim was so heavily intoxicated that she required support from his co-accused as they escorted her behind a wooden beach hut during the early hours of October 4 last year. Prosecuting barrister Hanna Llewellyn-Waters told jurors the three men 'treated the woman like meat and used her for their own entertainment.'
The defendant, who was 25 at the time of the alleged incident, claimed he was recording the events to collect evidence for his personal protection. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sharing intimate videos without consent.
Co-Defendants Also Deny Charges
His co-defendants—Ibrahim Alshafe, another Egyptian national, and Iranian Kurd Abdulla Amih Ahmadi—have both entered not guilty pleas to rape charges. During cross-examination, Ms Llewellyn-Waters directly asked Al-Danasurt: 'As far as you were concerned, you were witnessing a rape?'
Al-Danasurt responded through an interpreter: 'I see sex in front of me.' When the prosecutor countered that he was witnessing a rape, not consensual sex, he maintained his position, stating: 'That's what I saw. Rape to me is sex.'
Questioning About Consent and Understanding
The defendant faced further challenges regarding whether he recognized any distinction between individuals who can or cannot consent to sexual activity, and whether such distinctions mattered to him. Speaking via interpreter, he claimed not to comprehend the question.
When pressed for clarification, Al-Danasurt elaborated: 'I said what I saw. She was closing her eyes, opening her eyes. She wasn't speaking. The situation wasn't pleasant, it was bad. She wasn't able to say anything. They were raping her, but I did not hear anything. I didn't hear what they told her.'
Defendant's Explanation for Filming
Al-Danasurt told police investigators he began filming his friends, all residents of the same asylum accommodation hotel, to gather evidence. When asked why he recorded the incident, he explained: 'It was to stop them and to protect myself. I did whatever I could do to stop them and to speak to them.'
However, Ms Llewellyn-Waters challenged this account, telling him: 'You did precisely nothing. You went off and had a barbecue with them the next day.'
Nightclub Visit and Subsequent Events
The court heard that Al-Danasurt visited the Horizon nightclub shortly before 3:30 AM, where he encountered the other two defendants. They remained at the venue until closing time at 5:00 AM. Evidence presented to the jury included footage of the men preparing for their night out before boarding a bus to Brighton, where they reportedly met the victim.
Following the alleged rape, the migrants returned to their hotel by bus and were later filmed having a barbecue in the hotel grounds. The three defendants are said to have celebrated at their asylum accommodation after the attack, with one individual posing with a sunglasses filter in subsequent videos.
Forensic Evidence and DNA Analysis
Jurors were informed that more than fifteen minutes elapsed between the conclusion of the third video clip recorded by Al-Danasurt and the sighting of one man leaving the beach on CCTV footage. Forensic tests revealed DNA from three individuals, with semen belonging to both Alshafe and Ahmadi being positively identified. Analysis of a third sample proved inconclusive.
Background of Defendants and Asylum Status
Al-Danasurt disclosed to the court that his asylum claim had been rejected, and he was assisting Alshafe, whose application had also been denied. The three men shared a barbecue at their asylum hotel mere hours after the alleged assault.
Additional video evidence shown to jurors depicted the defendants preparing for their evening out in a room at the asylum hotel where they all resided. Three clips recorded by Al-Danasurt, showing his roommate and another small boat migrant engaging in sexual activity with the woman, were also presented in court.
Further Allegations and Defendant Movements
The jury heard that small boat migrant Ibrahim Alshafe allegedly groped another woman at the Horizon nightclub, informing her he was seeking a British bride to obtain citizenship. He expressed reluctance to return to his home country while touching the young woman in the Brighton establishment.
Iranian Kurd Abdulla Amih Ahmadi reportedly left the Home Office-operated hotel in Sussex the day following the barbecue in what authorities described as an 'unapproved move' or 'absconding.' He was subsequently arrested on October 12 in Crewe.
Victim Impact and Legal Proceedings
The victim has characterized her attackers as 'evil men who had ruined her life.' The court learned that Ibrahim Alshafe, aged 25, arrived in the UK via small boat on June 19, 2025, alongside Abdulla Amih Ahmadi. Both individuals were housed at the hotel from June 21, 2025. Al-Danasurt entered the country on October 11, 2024.
Ahmadi, from Crewe in Cheshire, and Alshafe, residing in Horsham, have each denied two counts of raping the woman. Al-Danasurt, also from Horsham, faces joint charges on all four counts of rape as a secondary party accused of encouraging the assault, plus an additional charge of sharing intimate images without consent. All defendants maintain their innocence.
The trial at Lewes Crown Court in Hove continues as proceedings advance.
