Failed asylum seekers jailed For 60 years for Brighton Beach beach gang rape Three failed asylum seekers who gang-raped an unconscious woman on Brighton beach have been jailed for a combined total of almost 61 years, with a judge condemning their actions as "predatory, callous and contemptuous" and saying they were "devoid of humanity." The trio, who all arrived in Britain after crossing the English Channel in small boats and whose asylum claims had been rejected, are expected to face deportation after serving their prison sentences. Judge condemns 'warped mindsets'At Hove Crown Court, Judge Christine Henson KC handed lengthy prison terms to Egyptian nationals Karin Al-Danasurt, 21, and Ibrahim Alshafe, 26, along with Iranian national Abdulla Ahmadi, 26. Alshafe and Ahmadi each received 21 years in prison for two counts of rape, followed by six years on extended licence. Al-Danasurt, who filmed the attack and was convicted on four rape-related counts, was sentenced to 18 years and six months, also with a six-year extended licence period. The judge told the men their evidence during the trial revealed "warped mindsets" and criticised what she described as their arrogance and repeated dishonesty throughout the proceedings. She said they lied repeatedly, attempting to blame police officers, interpreters and solicitors rather than accept responsibility for their actions. Victim describes life destroyed The victim, a woman in her 30s, delivered an emotional statement to the court describing the lasting trauma of the attack. She said the men had "destroyed my life that night" and that despite repeatedly washing, she still felt unable to rid herself of what had happened. She told the court she no longer feels able to go clubbing or drink alcohol, struggles to sleep, and continues to relive the assault whenever she hears seagulls, which remind her of the beach where the attack took place. She also said she fears she may never trust anyone enough to have another relationship. Planned night out turned into horrific attackThe court heard the victim became separated from friends after leaving a Brighton nightclub during the early hours of October 4 last year. CCTV footage showed two of the men approaching her on the promenade before leading her down onto Brighton beach within minutes. Behind a beach patrol hut, prosecutors said Ahmadi and Alshafe repeatedly raped the unconscious woman while Al-Danasurt filmed the attack, laughed, verbally abused the victim and spat into her mouth while encouraging the others to do the same. Prosecutors described the assault as lasting around 25 minutes and said the defendants treated the victim "like meat" rather than as a human being. Afterwards, the three men returned to their Home Office accommodation and held a barbecue. Convicted despite denials All three defendants denied rape during their trial. Al-Danasurt claimed he had been filming in an attempt to gather evidence and even told jurors that "rape is sex," while the other two maintained the encounter had been consensual. The jury rejected those accounts after hearing evidence from the victim, CCTV footage and other forensic material. Previous murder claim raises further questionsThe court also heard that Al-Danasurt stated during his asylum application that he had previously been convicted of murder in Egypt in 2022 and sentenced in his absence to 15 years' imprisonment. Prosecutors said British authorities had made extensive efforts, including at senior governmental levels, to verify the claim but had been unable to confirm its authenticity. Deportation expected after sentencesAll three men's asylum applications had already been refused before the offences. Judge Henson noted that any deportation decision now rests with the Home Office, although ministers have indicated they intend to remove the offenders once legally possible. Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris described the attack as "gut-wrenching," praising the victim's courage and stating there is "no place for foreign criminals in the UK." Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the case highlighted ongoing concerns about abuse of the asylum system and Britain's border security. While Ahmadi has reportedly signed paperwork agreeing to deportation and offered to apologise to the victim, he also asked police to return his mobile phone. The victim, meanwhile, told the court the consequences of the attack would remain with her for the rest of her life. SOURCE
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