Three men and a teenage boy have been found guilty of grooming and raping a 17-year-old girl in Bristol last year.
Mehrab Safi, 21, 19-year-olds Salman Habibkheil and Awal Ahmadzai, and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named because of his age, plied the victim with alcohol after arranging for her travel into Bristol.
They each denied all the offences against them but were found guilty by a jury at Bristol Crown Court today (Friday 26 June).
The victim met Safi in Bristol during a trip she made on Tuesday 25 November 2025 to do some Christmas shopping with a friend.
Safi tried to convince the victim and her friend to visit his house, offering drugs and somewhere to charge their phones, but they refused and returned home.
Immediately after they left, Safi began messaging the victim and added her on Snapchat where the messaging continued and he asked her for indecent images.
Four days later, late on 29 November, in collaboration with Habibkheil, he arranged for her to be collected by a taxi and brought into Bristol.
From there she was taken to Safi’s house in the St Werburghs area of the city and given alcohol to the point she became drunk.
She was then sexually assaulted and raped by the four defendants over the course of several hours.
On the morning of 30 November, the victim’s mum contacted police, to report her missing.
A short while later, police officers attended Safi’s house where the victim was located along with the 17-year-old boy.
She reported the rapes to an attending officer and the 17-year-old was arrested.
The three men fled the house when police arrived but were arrested a few days later after they were stopped having travelled into France and brought back to the UK.
The court heard both Habibkheil’s and Ahmadzai’s phones were used to search for news about the incident online and about police and court procedures for offences of the nature they had committed.
The four Afghan nationals were all subsequently charged with the following offences:
- Safi, of St Werburghs, whose self-defined ethnicity is “any other Asian background”, was charged with two counts of rape and one count of arranging or facilitating the travel of a female with a view to exploitation
- Habibkheil, of Lockleaze, whose self-defined ethnicity is “any other Black background”, was charged with one count of rape and one count of arranging or facilitating the travel of a female with a view to exploitation
- Ahmadzai, of no fixed address, whose self-defined ethnicity is “any other Asian background”, was charged with one count of rape and one count of sexual assault
- The 17-year-old boy, was charged with one count of rape
They all denied the offences, claiming it had been consensual sexual activity.
However, the jury at Bristol Crown Court found them guilty of each offence.
They will be sentenced at the same court on Tuesday 6 October.
Detective Chief Inspector Matt Cable, the senior investigating officer, said: “These four people exploited a vulnerable young girl purely for the purposes of their own sexual gratification.
“They are dangerous individuals who pose a significant threat to young women and girls and gave not a single thought to the welfare of the victim.
“This has been a complex investigation and credit goes to the officer in the case and all the officers and staff involved in ensuring we built a solid case to put before the court.
“These convictions all send a clear message: perpetrators of child sexual exploitation will be tracked down and face justice.”
Detective Sergeant Jo Babbage, the deputy senior investigating officer, said: “It’s impossible to overstate the courage the victim has shown these last seven months.
“The horrendous offences committed against her were calculated and a complete breach of trust.
“Her bravery in recounting that abuse is truly admirable and that extraordinary strength has ensured these four people will now face justice.”
The victim continues to be supported by a specially trained engagement officer and that support will continue as long as it may be needed.
Sally Helliwell of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “The young victim in this case was targeted, groomed, and then lured to an unfamiliar city, miles from home in the dead of night.
“Isolated and alone, she was plied with alcohol and then raped and abused over several hours by four different people. It was clear throughout that she did not consent.
“Thankfully the three men who fled in such a cowardly manner were swiftly returned to the UK to face justice.
“The CPS is committed to delivering justice for the victims of rape and sexual abuse, and I would encourage all victims to come forward to report offences to the police, so they can be investigated.”
