Three asylum seekers found guilty of raping woman on Brighton beach

Three men have been found guilty of repeatedly raping a woman on Brighton beach in a cynical, predatory, and callous attack after she became separated from her friends on a night out.

The trial at Hove Crown Court concluded on April 23, 2026, with the jury delivering verdicts after more than 16 hours of deliberation.

The victim, who was intoxicated and incapacitated, was targeted in the early hours of October 4, 2025.

Two men, Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, an Egyptian national, and Abdulla Ahmadi, 26, an Iranian national, raped her behind a beach hut while a third man, Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, also Egyptian, filmed the assault.

All three men are asylum seekers living in Home Office-approved accommodation near Horsham, West Sussex.

The court heard that Alshafe and Ahmadi arrived in the UK by small boat from France in June 2025, while Al-Danasurt entered the country in October 2024.

The victim described being given drinks by a man before becoming sick in a toilet and later waking up on the beach, fearing for her life.

She told the court the attack was not consensual and said the men were "evil" and had "ruined" her life.

Prosecutor Hanna Llewellyn-Waters described the defendants' actions as cynical and predatory, stating the complainant was treated as "meat" for their sexual gratification.

The victim recalled being spat on, kicked, and having her throat grabbed during the attack, with the men laughing throughout.

During the trial, the defendants claimed the encounter was consensual, alleging the woman initiated contact.

Al-Danasurt denied spitting in the victim's mouth and claimed he tried to stop the attack by filming it.

Jurors were shown footage of the attack, including Alshafe smiling and sticking his tongue out, and slapping the woman in the face.

The victim said she was begging the men to stop, but they laughed and continued.

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