Three asylum seekers convicted in Brighton beach rape case

Three asylum seekers were convicted at Hove Crown Court after a five-week trial over a rape on Brighton beach that jurors said turned a night out into a violent ordeal. Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, Abdulla Ahmadi, 26, and Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, were found guilty on Thursday after more than 12 hours of deliberation.

The court heard that the attack happened in the early hours of October 4, 2025, after the woman became separated from friends. She was seen “staggering in the street” and was described as “incapacitated” before being taken behind a beach hut on the lower esplanade, where two of the men raped her while the third arrived moments later and filmed the assault.

Al-Danasurt was convicted as a secondary party for encouraging and filming the attack, and for intentionally sharing three videos of it. Jurors also heard evidence from the victim about the violence she endured, including being spat on, kicked and grabbed by the throat, while men laughed. She told the court she believed she was going to be killed, and minutes after leaving the men she contacted friends and was described as “wailing and hysterical” as she said she had been raped.

Sussex Police said the suspects were identified through thorough investigative work in Operation Brampton. The victim continues to be supported by specialist officers. The force said the case had moved at pace, reflecting the seriousness of the allegations and the need to secure evidence quickly after the report came in at about 5am.

The Home Office said the allegations were “shocking” and that the public anger surrounding the case was understood. The case carries wider significance in Brighton and Hove, a city that has publicly described itself as a City of Sanctuary for refugees and asylum seekers, while also relying on partnership work aimed at women’s safety and reducing serious violence.

The convictions come days after another Brighton rape case, in which tourist Rafael Nascimento was sentenced to 13 years in prison on April 17, 2026, after raping a teenager. Together, the cases have put sexual violence in the city under intense scrutiny and sharpened pressure on authorities to show that victims will be protected and offenders prosecuted.