Afghan Migrant on Trial for Allegedly Raping a 14-Year-Old Autistic Girl Three Times on a UK Train Tells Court Why He Did What He Did, Leaving Many Shocked
An Afghan migrant accused of raping a 14-year-old autistic girl on a train has told a court that he believed she was older than 16 because she was wearing make-up and holding a drink.
Baryalai Rahimi, 25, is accused of raping the teenager three times inside the toilets of a Southeastern train before his friend, Mirebadurahman Sadat, 29, allegedly sexually assaulted her.
The incident is said to have happened on February 5 after the two men reportedly followed the girl from a railway station in rural Kent onto a train heading towards London.
Rahimi, who lives in Southall, west London, and Sadat, from Cricklewood, north-west London, have denied all 20 charges brought against them, including several offences involving sexual activity with a child.
During the trial at Inner London Crown Court, jurors heard that the girl felt unable to escape from Rahimi when he approached her.
Giving evidence through a Dari interpreter, Rahimi claimed he initially thought the teenager was around 18 or 19 years old because of her appearance.
He told the court that she was holding a drink and wearing make-up, which made him believe she was older.
According to Rahimi, he asked the girl how old she was, and she told him she was over 16, which he understood to mean 17.
When his lawyer, Sebastian Cox, asked whether the girl had ever told him her actual age, Rahimi replied that she had not.
He also claimed he believed she was 17 because she was vaping.
Rahimi explained that he and Sadat had travelled to Kent because they wanted to obtain driving licences after struggling to find work.
He said they had been advised to get driving licences to improve their chances of finding jobs.
According to his account, he first noticed the girl at a railway station after almost walking into a lamppost.
He claimed the teenager asked whether he was okay, and he thanked her for showing concern.
Rahimi admitted that he was under the influence of drugs at the time. He told the court that he had taken a painkiller because of a broken nose and had also smoked cannabis before boarding the train.
He denied being drunk but admitted he was high.
When questioned about whether the girl had told him she had run away from home, Rahimi said she had not.
He also claimed he believed she was older because she was travelling towards London late at night.
Rahimi told the court that he offered the teenager his jacket because he thought she might be cold.
He said he removed the jacket and gave it to her.
However, when asked whether he had hugged her, he said he could not remember.
He denied kissing her while they were standing on the station platform.
The court had previously heard that DNA evidence found on the girl’s clothing was consistent with DNA from the two defendants.
During the trial, jurors were also shown a recorded police interview with the teenager.
In the interview, she was asked what other passengers were doing while the alleged incident was taking place.
She explained that nobody appeared to be paying attention because most passengers were looking at their phones.
The court also heard evidence from forensic expert Kassandra Harris, who was questioned about DNA found on the girl’s clothing.
Rahimi’s lawyer asked whether DNA could be transferred simply through contact with surfaces.
The expert confirmed that small numbers of skin cells could leave DNA behind and that DNA could sometimes be collected from just a few cells.
When asked whether the evidence could establish exactly how the DNA had been transferred, she explained that it could not.
However, she said her findings supported the presence of Sadat’s DNA on the clothing.
Following his arrest, Rahimi gave police a prepared statement in which he claimed the girl had told him she was 17.
He said he believed her because she appeared to be around 17 or 18 years old.
Rahimi also claimed that the teenager had initiated what happened between them and that their sexual contact was consensual.
Sadat has also denied the allegations against him.
He told police that although he had some memory problems, he had not committed the offences he was accused of.
Rahimi is facing three charges of rape, two charges of sexual assault, one charge of assault by penetration and six alternative charges involving sexual activity with a child.
Sadat is facing two charges of assault by penetration, two charges of causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent and four alternative charges involving sexual activity with a child.
Both men continue to deny the allegations.
The court has not yet reached a verdict, and the trial is continuing.
