Three men have been found guilty of repeatedly raping a woman on Brighton beach in what prosecutors described as a "cynical, predatory and callous" attack. The victim became separated from her friends during a night out and was targeted while incapacitated.
The Attack
The incident occurred in the early hours of 4 October. According to the trial at Hove Crown Court, the woman was "staggering in the street" and unable to defend herself. Two of the men took her behind a beach hut where they raped her, while the third arrived moments later and filmed the assault.
Verdicts
Ibrahim Alshafe, a 25-year-old Egyptian national, and Abdulla Ahmadi, a 26-year-old Iranian national, were found guilty of two counts of rape. Karin Al-Danasurt, a 20-year-old Egyptian national, was convicted of four counts of rape as a secondary party for encouraging and filming the ordeal. All three are seeking asylum in the UK.
The jury returned their verdicts after more than 16 hours of deliberation over a five-week trial. Eight security guards stood in the dock behind the defendants and their interpreters as the verdicts were read. The defendants showed no reaction, though Alshafe kept his head down when the judge addressed the jury.
Judge's Remarks
Judge Christine Henson KC thanked the jury for their service, noting it had been a difficult case "not only in the subject matter but also with various disruptions."
Prosecution's Statement
Prosecutor Hanna Llewellyn-Waters KC told the court: "Frankly, to these defendants, the complainant was meat. She was repeatedly abused for their sexual gratification and entertainment. They wanted sex and that could be achieved by being with someone who was in no state to resist them."
The woman told police she recalled being spat on, kicked, and having her throat grabbed during the attack, as well as hearing men laughing. In her testimony, she said: "It wasn't consensual, it was not consensual, they are evil and they have ruined my life."
Background of the Defendants
At the time of the attack, the three men knew each other and were living at Home Office-approved hotel accommodation for asylum seekers near Horsham, West Sussex. Ahmadi and Alshafe met on a small boat from France, arriving in the UK on 19 June 2025. Alshafe and Al-Danasurt were roommates at the hotel. Al-Danasurt arrived in the UK on 21 September 2024. The court heard that Alshafe's asylum application had been refused on 3 October, but he claimed he was unaware of this before going to Brighton that night.
Support Information
For anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse, support is available: In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222 (England and Wales), 0808 801 0302 (Scotland), or 0800 0246 991 (Northern Ireland). In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html.
