A defendant from Afghanistan has firmly rejected allegations that he deliberately searched for a 12-year-old girl before the alleged sexual assault, while controversially claiming in court that the child appeared to be a young adult in her early twenties.
Courtroom Testimony Challenges Prosecution Narrative
Ahmad Mulakhil, aged 23 and currently without a permanent address, provided his second day of evidence at Warwick Crown Court located within the Warwickshire Justice Centre in Leamington Spa. The trial concerns serious charges relating to an incident that occurred in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, during July of the previous year.
Mulakhil faces multiple accusations including the rape of a schoolgirl, with prosecutors alleging he specifically targeted the child after she was reportedly strangled on a local bridge. The prosecution has suggested he engaged in what they described as 'circling around' behaviour to locate the alleged victim.
Defendant's Account of Events
During his testimony delivered through a Dari interpreter, Mulakhil presented a contrasting version of events. He stated unequivocally that he did not force the girl into any activity and denied making threats against her family members. The defendant acknowledged filming a brief sexual encounter but maintained this occurred at the girl's insistence.
Perhaps most controversially, Mulakhil asserted that the alleged victim told him she was 19 years old and claimed that her physical appearance suggested she was between 20 and 22 years old. This claim directly contradicts the prosecution's position that he was aware of her actual age.
Specific Charges and Co-Defendant
In a significant development, Mulakhil has admitted to one count of oral rape but continues to deny two additional rape charges, two counts of sexual assault, child abduction, and the taking of indecent images of a child. The legal proceedings involve a co-defendant, fellow Afghan national Mohammad Kabir, aged 24, who faces separate charges including intentional strangulation and attempting to take a child.
During cross-examination by prosecutor Daniel Oscroft, Mulakhil was directly questioned about whether he and Kabir had separated to search for the girl. "No. We were in front of her," Mulakhil responded firmly. When pressed about whether he could discern the girl's youth from her appearance, he stated: "No. You can tell from her face that she looks 20 to 22-years-old."
Contradictory Accounts of Movement
The prosecution's suggestion of deliberate searching was met with further denial. "She went the opposite direction and I was taking a different direction. How come I was looking for her?" Mulakhil questioned rhetorically. He elaborated that after the girl reportedly ran away on the bridge, he inquired about her identity from Kabir, who allegedly relayed that the girl had stated she was 19 and expressed interest in visiting their residence.
Mulakhil also referenced extensive CCTV footage presented to the jury, stating: "As you can see in the videos, we never chased or followed that girl." This assertion forms a crucial part of his defence against the prosecution's narrative of deliberate pursuit.
The trial continues at Warwick Crown Court as the jury considers the conflicting accounts and evidence presented by both prosecution and defence teams.
