Three men who raped woman on Brighton beach jailed

Three Men Convicted of Rape on Brighton Beach Receive Prison Sentences

Three men who raped woman on Brighton - Abdulla Ahmadi, Ibrahim Alshafe, and Karin Al-Danasurt have been sentenced for the sexual assault of a woman on Brighton Beach. The attack, described as "predatory, callous, and contemptuous" by the court, took place in the early hours of October 4th. The trio, all asylum seekers, were living in a Home Office-approved hotel in Horsham at the time of the incident.

Victim's Emotional Testimony

"I still hear their laughter when I close my eyes," the victim told jurors. "My skin crawls—no matter how hard I scrub it, I still feel dirty." She added, "Sometimes it feels like the noises will never stop. I ask myself what kind of person would do this, let alone three."

The trial revealed that the woman was "staggering in the street" and "incapacitated" during the attack. Alshafe and Ahmadi dragged her behind a beach hut, where they raped her, while Al-Danasurt filmed the act. The victim recalled being spat on, kicked, and having her throat grabbed, describing the experience as traumatic. She regained consciousness on the beach, fearing for her life, and later broke down in court, emphasizing the lasting psychological impact of the event.

Conviction and Sentencing Details

Abdulla Ahmadi, 26, from Iran, and Ibrahim Alshafe, 26, from Egypt, received 21-year prison terms. Karin Al-Danasurt, 21, from Egypt, was convicted as a secondary participant for recording the assault and was sentenced to 18 years and six months. The judge, Christine Henson KC, highlighted the severity of their actions, stating, "You each treated her with contempt and played a role in degrading her in the most appalling way. The arrogant and entitled attitude you displayed continued through your trial."

Following the assault, the men returned to their hotel by bus and held a barbecue later that evening. The prosecution argued that Alshafe had been "on the lookout for women that night for sexual purposes," having previously been rejected by several women. During the trial, Alshafe and Ahmadi claimed the encounter was consensual, while Al-Danasurt insisted he was filming to gather evidence. Despite these claims, the jury found all three guilty of the rape. The sentences include an additional six years on extended licence, with two-thirds of their terms served before parole eligibility.

The court was informed that the three defendants knew each other and had met in the UK. Ahmadi and Alshafe connected via a boat from France in June 2025, while Alshafe and Al-Danasurt, who arrived in October 2024, were roommates at the hotel. Before the attack, they had spent the evening preparing at the accommodation and traveling to Brighton for their outing. The victim’s account of being "led into the darkness to be used as a sexual plaything" underscored the systematic nature of the assault.

Impact of the Crime

Her Honour Judge Christine Henson KC described the attack’s "devastating" effect, noting its "life-changing" consequences for the victim. In her statement, the woman expressed a deep sense of shame, stating, "They took something from me that no one had a right to do so." She also noted, "If I could do one thing, I would go back to that night and never go out again. All I see when I close my eyes is the man who was filming it. All I can hear is the seagulls, the waves, and the laughter in my head."