Girl, 14, allegedly raped on Kent-to-London train as passengers stared at phones
Two Afghan migrants deny raping and sexually assaulting a runaway autistic girl on a Southeastern train as fellow passengers ignored the attack.
Autistic teenager allegedly assaulted on busy commuter service to London Bridge
A 14-year-old autistic girl told police that fellow passengers "just stared at their phones" as she was sexually assaulted in a busy train carriage, the Evening Standard reports. The alleged attack took place on a Southeastern service to London on 4 February.
Baryalai Rahimi, 25, and Mirebadurahman Sadat, 29, both Afghan migrants, are accused of following the girl — who had run away from home that day — onto the train at a Kent railway station. Both men deny all charges against them.
Inner London Crown Court heard that Rahimi kissed and sexually assaulted the girl while she sat on his lap in the carriage. He is then alleged to have led her to a toilet cubicle, where he raped her three times, before handing her to Sadat, who also allegedly assaulted her.
The girl told the court that Rahimi asked her age and that both men laughed when she said she was 14. Rahimi complimented her appearance and repeatedly attempted to place his coat around her, while Sadat watched from a distance, jurors were told.
She described Rahimi approaching her before they boarded, forcibly kissing her and placing his arms around her. "He was standing over me, and I was trying to say no," she said.
Rahimi asked her to sit on his lap within five minutes of boarding the train. Asked why she complied, she told the court: "I don't know. It's a bit hard for me to say no to men. He's bigger than me, stronger, and I can't do anything. I just like to do what people want so it keeps me out of a dangerous situation."
She said that when Rahimi subsequently suggested going to the toilet, she tried to refuse. She described becoming distressed during the alleged assault because it "really, really hurt." She added that Rahimi apologised before allegedly raping her again.
The girl told police that Rahimi then washed his hands and instructed her to wait two minutes before following him out. He is alleged to have then taken her back to the same cubicle, where Sadat allegedly assaulted her. She said Rahimi told her of Sadat: "We share everything. We share girls, we share drinks."
Jurors were shown CCTV footage of Rahimi brushing past several commuters as he guided the girl towards the toilet. Later footage showed both men following the girl off the train at London Bridge.
Asked what the other passengers had been doing during the assault in the carriage, she said: "No one was really looking at us. Everyone was just on their phones."
The girl had been reported missing earlier that day. Police located her at Peterborough Station shortly before 11pm and returned her home.
Rahimi faces three counts of rape, two of sexual assault, one of assault by penetration and six alternative counts of sexual activity with a child. Sadat faces two counts of assault by penetration, two of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent and four alternative counts of sexual activity with a child. Both men deny all charges. The trial continues.
Source: Evening Standard