Asylum seeker found guilty of Brighton beach rape is 'convicted murder in Egypt'

An Egyptian asylum seeker who was involved in the rape of a woman on a Brighton beach was fleeing his home country to escape a "lengthy" prison sentence, it has emerged.

Karin Al-Danasurt was convicted of murder in Egypt following his arrival in the UK by small boat, prosecutors said.

At a November plea hearing, he told the court he had applied for asylum in Britain after fleeing Egypt to "evade a lengthy custodial sentence".

His defence team disputed this during pre-trial hearings, claiming the conviction belonged to his brother, leading the judge to withdraw the evidence from the case.

The jury of seven women and five men was never informed of the murder conviction.

Al-Danasurt, 20, Abdulla Ahmadi, 26, and Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, were found guilty by a jury at Hove Crown Court yesterday in what prosecutors described as a "cynical, predatory and callous" assault.

The attack occurred in the early hours of October 4 last year after the 33-year-old victim became separated from her friends following a night out at a nightclub.

CCTV footage captured two men approaching her near a Burger King, and within four minutes, she was being led along the seafront towards the beach.

Alshafe was seen with his arm around the woman's shoulder while Ahmadi walked ahead.

At one point, she collapsed on a ramp leading to the beach and had to be pulled back to her feet.

The prosecutor, Hanna Llewellyn-Waters, told the court the men had been "on the prowl" that evening, operating as a "predatory pack" who viewed their victim not as a human being but as "meat".

The woman told the court she was "paralytic drunk" and had no memory of how she ended up on the beach.

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She recalled drifting in and out of consciousness as three men repeatedly assaulted her, saying in evidence: "I asked them to stop and they wouldn't stop. I was begging them to stop and they wouldn't."

Al-Danasurt filmed the attack on his mobile phone, laughing and calling her a "dirty b***h" while at one point forcing her mouth open and spitting into it.

The victim said: "Every time I close my eyes I can see them laughing at me. They thought it was funny. It wasn't consensual at all. They have literally ruined my whole life."

She added: "They're evil and they've ruined my life."

All three men were residing at the Cisswood House Hotel in Horsham, West Sussex, a Home Office-approved accommodation for asylum seekers.

Ahmadi and Alshafe had crossed from France on the same small boat in June last year, while Al-Danasurt arrived the previous year.

Each of them had unsuccessful asylum claims.

Al-Danasurt and Ahmadi received rejections prior to the assault, whereas Alshafe's application was refused on the same weekend the rape took place.

The day following the attack, Ahmadi travelled without authorisation to Crewe, Cheshire, some 200 miles away, and was recorded as having absconded from his accommodation.

Police arrested all three men a week after the assault.

Al-Danasurt was convicted on four rape counts, while Ahmadi and Alshafe were each found guilty of two.

Sentencing will take place at a later date, and all three will face deportation.

Reacting to the verdict, Sussex Police Detective Chief Superintendent Richard McDonagh gave a statement outside the court, in which he said: "These three predatory men took advantage of an extremely vulnerable woman, subjecting her to a prolonged, harrowing ordeal.

"I do not underestimate the strength and courage it required to report this to the police and support the investigation as she dealt with the lasting impact of that morning’s incident. Thanks to this woman’s resolve, we have been able to bring her attackers to justice."

"My thanks also extend to the investigative team for their diligent work and our partners for their support to the investigation and the victim."

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