A 23-year-old Afghan man has admitted to raping a 12-year-old girl in Warwickshire, a case that sparked anti-asylum protests in Nuneaton. The plea change came on Friday at Warwick crown court, where Ahmad Mulakhil had previously denied abducting the child and committing multiple counts of rape and sexual assault.
Mulakhil was assisted by an interpreter during his earlier hearing, which took place on August 28. He then changed his plea to admit to a single count of oral rape. His co-defendant, Mohammad Kabir, also 23, had previously pleaded not guilty to various charges related to the alleged abuse, including attempting to take the child and aiding in the rape.
The men's immigration status was reportedly discussed during the hearing, with some claiming they were asylum seekers. However, the police have denied accusations of a cover-up, stating that they follow national guidance on releasing information about those charged in high-profile cases.
The case led to anti-asylum protests in Nuneaton in August, where marchers showed support for far-right groups and waved St George's cross flags. Counter-protesters from Stand Up to Racism also attended, with banners reading "Stop the far right." Local politicians had weighed in on the controversy, with Reform UK leader George Finch accusing police of covering up information about the men's immigration status.
In response, the Warwickshire police chief constable stated that officers would not cover up such crimes and were following national guidance. However, the College of Policing later changed its advice to encourage forces to release more information about those charged in high-profile cases, reportedly after pressure from the then-home secretary Yvette Cooper.
Mulakhil was assisted by an interpreter during his earlier hearing, which took place on August 28. He then changed his plea to admit to a single count of oral rape. His co-defendant, Mohammad Kabir, also 23, had previously pleaded not guilty to various charges related to the alleged abuse, including attempting to take the child and aiding in the rape.
The men's immigration status was reportedly discussed during the hearing, with some claiming they were asylum seekers. However, the police have denied accusations of a cover-up, stating that they follow national guidance on releasing information about those charged in high-profile cases.
The case led to anti-asylum protests in Nuneaton in August, where marchers showed support for far-right groups and waved St George's cross flags. Counter-protesters from Stand Up to Racism also attended, with banners reading "Stop the far right." Local politicians had weighed in on the controversy, with Reform UK leader George Finch accusing police of covering up information about the men's immigration status.
In response, the Warwickshire police chief constable stated that officers would not cover up such crimes and were following national guidance. However, the College of Policing later changed its advice to encourage forces to release more information about those charged in high-profile cases, reportedly after pressure from the then-home secretary Yvette Cooper.
this whole thing is so messed up... i mean, a 12-year-old girl was raped by two grown men and everyone's already making it about their immigration status? 
what about the victim's rights? shouldnt we be focusing on getting her justice and support instead of worrying about the guys' papers?
its just common sense, right?
man, this whole asylum thing is just so messed up... I mean, what's the deal with people protesting against Afghan men, you know? It feels like they're trying to paint all immigrants as bad guys 
. And what about the girl who got raped, man? That's what we should be talking about, not some politician's opinion on immigration 
. I mean, I'm all for transparency and everything, but can't we just have a real conversation about this stuff without resorting to hate speech? 
he should get max punishment no matter his immigration status, and what's with all these anti-asylum protests? shouldn't people be more worried about the victim than jumping on someone's back because they're an asylum seeker? 
And yeah, I get that the police might be trying to follow some kind of guidance, but come on, can't they just give us more info without all the drama and politics? 
cos they were gonna be deported back to afghanistan lol but its not funny at all. the girl was only 12 tho u cant even 
my heart goes out to her. what is wrong with ppl these days 
I mean I know some ppl think asylum seekers r a problem but this isnt it 
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. I'm not saying that anyone should be judged based on their immigration status, but it does raise some red flags 
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. And let's all try to stay informed and not spread rumors or misinformation 
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my heart just sank reading about this case 
their anger and frustration is understandable, but let's not forget that we're human beings here, deserving of respect and dignity 
and no one deserves to be raped or abused, regardless of their immigration status.
, but we need more transparency and accountability in our justice system. the fact that the College of Policing changed its advice after pressure from Yvette Cooper 
I'm still trying to understand how the police were able to change their advice like that after pressure from the home secretary... does that mean they're not following their own guidelines anymore? 
. Can't believe these guys were trying to take advantage of a system meant to help people in need #JusticeForTheVictim. It's crazy how politics got involved with the immigration status, but let's focus on getting justice for this poor child 
. We gotta stand up against racism & support each other as a community 
. The police need to be more transparent about these cases, it's not okay to cover up info #TransparencyMatters. And btw, what's with the changing of guidelines? It feels like they're walking on eggshells 
. We need real change, not just empty promises 
I'm so disappointed in this case... a 12-year-old girl was brutally raped and now these guys are playing on asylum status? 
It's like they thought they could hide behind it? This is not about immigration, it's about justice for the victims. And to have protests supporting far-right groups? That's just crazy! 
. and btw, far-right groups have a point about wanting more transparency, even if they're not exactly the most welcoming bunch 
. Give me a break. The real victims here are the girl and her family - let's focus on supporting them instead of vilifying the accused 
and yeah i know there's a lot of tension between the protesters but honestly it feels like everyone is getting more worked up over nothing... i mean what's really important is that justice gets served and those two guys get the help they need, no matter where they're from 
. We can't just blame one side or the other - we need to look at the bigger picture and find ways to make our systems work better for everyone 
.