An analysis of crime data indicates that Afghan nationals residing in England and Wales are significantly more likely to be convicted of sexual offenses compared to those identifying as British. The assessment, covering data from 2020 to 2022, found that Afghans were convicted of sex crimes at a rate seven times higher than British nationals after adjusting for age and sex demographics.

According to data obtained from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) through freedom of information requests, individuals identifying as Afghan accounted for 409 sexual offenses over a 15-year period, representing 0.39 percent of all recorded sex crimes. The findings focus on the most recent three years for which comprehensive information was available.

Separate figures published earlier revealed a broader increase in sex offense convictions involving foreign nationals. Between 2021 and 2024, foreign nationals were convicted of sexual offenses at a rate rising 62 percent, compared with a 39.3 percent increase for British nationals during the same timeframe. In 2024, foreign nationals accounted for approximately 14.1 percent of all sexual offense convictions in England and Wales, including crimes such as rape.

The report coincides with a recent criminal case in Bristol, where three Afghan men were imprisoned for the rape of a 17-year-old girl. The offenders had reportedly groomed the victim via the social media platform Snapchat and supplied her with alcohol. After the crime, the accused fled to France but were subsequently extradited back to the UK.

In response to concerns about migrant involvement in sexual offenses, the Home Office has issued guidance documents aimed at new arrivals. These materials underscore the UK’s legal framework regarding sexual consent, emphasizing that any sexual activity must be consensual by both parties under British law.

Meanwhile, legal disputes have emerged between advocacy groups and the Ministry of Justice regarding access to detailed crime data. Campaigners have sought to obtain the full scope of offenses committed by foreign nationals in England and Wales from 2018 to 2024, but the MoJ has declined to release the comprehensive dataset.

The Economist’s analysis utilized existing MoJ data covering prosecutions and convictions broken down by age, sex, and ethnicity. For the years 2022 to 2024, Afghan nationals were convicted of 102 sexual offenses. Population estimates used to calculate the relative offense rates came from census data on Afghan passport holders and self-identified Afghans without passports living in England and Wales.