Two teenage Afghan asylum seekers jailed for raping girl in UK
Two 17-year-old Afghan asylum seekers have been jailed for the abduction and rape of a 15-year-old girl in the UK.
Jan Jahanzeb and Israr Niazal were sentenced at Warwick Crown Court, where they were also informed they must register as sex offenders for life. Critically, both individuals now face the possibility of deportation after they have completed their custodial sentences.
During the court proceedings, it was detailed that the teenagers lured the 15-year-old victim to a hidden “den-type” area in Leamington Spa last May. The court heard that they subsequently pushed her to the ground and carried out the attack.
Victim’s Life ‘Changed Forever’
Judge De Bertodano addressed the defendants, stating they had “taken away the girl’s childhood,” and emphasized the severity of their actions, telling them: “What you did that night changed her life for ever.”
A statement from the young victim, read aloud to the court, underscored the profound and lasting effect of the incident. She described how the attack had irrevocably altered her sense of safety, leaving her feeling insecure and often avoiding leaving her home. This has also led to a negative impact on her education, the statement noted.
The victim’s mother provided a statement describing a “dramatic decline” in her daughter’s overall wellbeing. She recounted how her once outgoing daughter now battles severe anxiety, which at times causes physical illness. The mother concluded that the crime’s impact had touched “every aspect” of their family life.
Both Jahanzeb and Niazal had previously entered guilty pleas to the offence.
Sentences and Deportation Orders
Jahanzeb, who had already been served with deportation papers due to his age at the time of his plea, received a sentence of 10 years and eight months in youth detention.
Niazal was sentenced to nine years and 10 months. As Niazal was 16 when he pleaded guilty, Judge De Bertodano made a specific request for the Home Office to consider his removal from the country as well.
Both defendants will commence their terms in a young offender institution before being transferred to an adult prison. In addition to the jail terms, each was permanently placed on the sex-offender register and issued an indefinite restraining order.
