Men jailed for raping teenage girl after grooming her on Snapchat

Three Afghan men have been sentenced after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in Bristol. Mehrab Safi, aged 21, along with Awal Ahmadzai and Salman Habibkheli, both 19, committed multiple offences against the teenager at a residence in St Werburghs last year. The trio attempted to flee the UK in a lorry but were intercepted by French authorities in Calais and subsequently returned to Britain to face justice.

The victim first encountered Safi while Christmas shopping at Bristol’s Cabot Circus shopping centre. Safi established contact with her through Snapchat, grooming her and persuading her to send explicit photographs. He organized a taxi to bring her from Somerset to his home in Bristol in the early hours of November 30. There, she was subjected to sexual assaults by Safi, Ahmadzai, Habibkheli, and another 17-year-old Afghan boy, who was also convicted but did not attempt to leave the country. According to Avon and Somerset Police, the girl was given alcohol upon arrival at Safi’s house and was assaulted over several hours.

Following the incident, the girl was located by police after a missing person report was filed by her mother. Det Sgt Jo Babbage described the victim as “very traumatised” but commended her courage throughout the investigation. The victim shared the lasting impact of the attacks in a statement, revealing how her life has changed drastically since the traumatic event. She spoke of withdrawing from social activities, feeling panic at the idea of going outside alone, and experiencing recurring nightmares connected to the assault.

At Bristol Crown Court, Safi received a 15-year prison sentence, while Ahmadzai and Habibkheli were each sentenced to nine years in a youth detention centre. The teenager convicted alongside them was sentenced to two years and seven months. Judge Michael Cullum emphasized the profound trauma inflicted on the victim, describing it as “unimaginable” and highlighting the power imbalance exploited during the grooming process. Despite recognizing the difficult backgrounds of the offenders, including the loss of a parent to the Taliban, he stated this offered no justification for their actions. All four have been placed on the sex offender register indefinitely and issued sexual harm prevention orders to prohibit contact with children

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