Three Afghan Men Jailed After Grooming and Raping Bristol Teenager Before Fleeing UK

Three Afghan nationals who groomed and raped a 17-year-old girl in Bristol before attempting to escape the country in the back of a lorry have been sentenced at Bristol Crown Court.

Mehrab Safi, 21, was handed a 15-year prison term on Tuesday, while Awal Ahmadzai and Salman Habibkheli, both 19, each received nine years in a youth detention centre. The men had been found guilty on 26 June of multiple sexual offences committed against the teenager at a property in the St Werburghs area of the city last year.

The case began with what should have been an ordinary festive outing. On 25 November 2025, the victim travelled from her home in Somerset to Bristol for the first time, joining a friend on a Christmas shopping trip to the Cabot Circus shopping centre. It was there that she encountered Safi, and the pair exchanged phone numbers and Snapchat details.

According to prosecutors, Safi exploited that initial contact to begin grooming the teenager. Detective Sergeant Jo Babbage of Avon and Somerset Police told the court that the victim started communicating with Safi five days before the attacks, primarily through Snapchat. "It's clear that that's where the grooming and the contact process was started that led up to her being brought into Bristol by taxi which was arranged by Safi," she said.

Safi persuaded the girl to send him nude photographs over the messaging platform. He then organised a taxi to collect her from her home and deliver her to his address in St Werburghs in the early hours of 30 November. Once she arrived, she was plied with alcohol before being sexually assaulted and raped repeatedly over the course of several hours.

The attacks were carried out not only by Safi but also by Ahmadzai, Habibkheli, and a 17-year-old Afghan boy who cannot be named for legal reasons. The boy, who was arrested at the scene, was convicted of rape and sentenced to two years and seven months in a youth detention centre. Unlike his co-defendants, he made no attempt to leave the country.

The victim was discovered at the property after her mother reported her missing, prompting officers to attend the address. In a victim impact statement read aloud in court, the teenager described how the ordeal had transformed her life. "I had a lot more friends, I would go out a lot more, I was happier. Now, I've stopped going out, I don't even leave the house in general," she said.

She explained that she can now only leave home accompanied by her best friend or her mother. "I would not be able to go out by myself, even the thought of that makes me panic," she told the court. The girl also described how her mind frequently suppresses the trauma before it resurfaces during low moments, and said she has been haunted by unexpected and distressing dreams about what happened.

Sentencing the three men, Judge Michael Cullum said the victim had suffered "unimaginable" trauma as a result of being trafficked and raped. Detective Sergeant Babbage praised the teenager's courage throughout the investigation, noting that she had been left "very traumatised" by the attacks but had shown remarkable bravery in coming forward. Reflecting on the circumstances, Babbage added that, as a parent, reading about how a Christmas shopping trip ended in such a way "makes you feel terrified for your children to go out."

After the assaults, the three adult defendants fled from officers, travelling first to Birmingham and then to London before attempting to leave the UK. They were intercepted by French police while hiding in the back of a lorry, bringing their escape attempt to an end and allowing authorities to bring them to justice.

The case has reignited concerns about the risks young people face on social media platforms, where predators can establish trust quickly and arrange meetings with minimal oversight. Safi's use of Snapchat to initiate contact, obtain explicit images, and coordinate the victim's transport highlights the speed with which online grooming can escalate into serious physical harm.

For the victim and her family, the conclusion of the legal process offers accountability but not closure. Her statement made clear that the consequences of that November night continue to shape her daily life, limiting her independence and leaving her fearful of ordinary activities that teenagers typically take for granted.

Avon and Somerset Police have urged anyone affected by similar issues to seek support. The BBC's Action Line provides information and assistance for those dealing with the aftermath of sexual violence.