Three men living in asylum seeker accommodation near Horsham, West Sussex, have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for the rape of a woman in Brighton last year. Ibrahim Alshafe, 26, and Abdulla Ahmadi, 26, were each sentenced to 21 years in prison, while Karin Al-Danasurt, 21, received 18 years and six months. All three will serve an additional six years on extended licence.
The attack occurred in the early hours of October 4, 2025, after the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, became separated from her friends during a night out. The court heard that she was intoxicated and "staggering in the street" when Alshafe and Ahmadi led her behind a beach hut on Brighton beach where they raped her. Al-Danasurt, who was living with Alshafe at the time, reportedly filmed the assault and encouraged the attack. The victim was subjected to physical abuse, including being spat on, kicked, and having her throat grabbed.
At Hove Crown Court, jurors found Alshafe and Ahmadi guilty of two counts of rape, while Al-Danasurt was convicted of four counts of rape as a secondary party due to his role in filming and encouraging the attack. The men were living in Home Office-approved hotel accommodation for asylum seekers in Lower Beeding near Horsham when the offence took place.
In a victim impact statement read aloud during sentencing, the woman described the profound and lasting trauma she has experienced. She said the men "destroyed my life that night" and took "something from me that I’m afraid I will never get back." She detailed how constant reminders of the assault, including the sounds of seagulls and the ocean, have haunted her, severely affecting her mental health and well-being. She also addressed the defendants' lack of remorse, stating their actions felt like "a knife in and twisting it again."
Judge Christine Henson KC condemned the defendants for their "predatory and callous" conduct, highlighting the "life-changing, profound and irrevocable impact" on the victim. She praised the woman's courage in giving evidence.
Additional details presented at court revealed that Ahmadi and Alshafe met after arriving in the UK by boat from France in June 2025. Al-Danasurt arrived in October 2024 and shared accommodation with Alshafe. Post-conviction, reports surfaced suggesting Al-Danasurt may have a prior conviction for murder in Egypt, although this has not been independently verified.
Following sentencing, the UK Home Office stated it would initiate deportation proceedings against all three men. Ahmadi has reportedly signed voluntary deportation papers to return to Iran. Alex Norris, the Border Security and Asylum Minister, described the case as "nothing short of gut-wrenching" and emphasized that "there is no place for foreign criminals in the UK."