Two Men Appear in Court Following Alleged Rape of 12-Year-Old Girl in Nuneaton

Download IPFS

Two men have appeared in court in connection with the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, has been charged with two counts of rape, while Mohammad Kabir, also 23, faces charges of kidnap, non-fatal strangulation, and aiding and abetting the rape of a child under 13. Both men are residents of the local area and are due to appear at Warwick Crown Court on 26 August.

The incident reportedly took place on the evening of 22 July between 8:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. in the Cheverel Street area. Warwickshire Police have appealed to the public for any information or witnesses who may have seen something of interest during that time.

The case has sparked wider concern following public statements from George Finch, leader of Warwickshire County Council and a member of Reform UK. In a letter addressed to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith, and council chief executive Monica Fogarty, Mr Finch alleged that the accused men were asylum seekers and criticised both Warwickshire Police and the Home Office for what he described as a failure to disclose their immigration status.

Finch claimed that Ms Fogarty informed him that Mr Kabir had been residing in a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) as an asylum seeker. Although this has not been independently confirmed by the BBC, Mr Finch argued that local residents had “very easily been able to join the dots together” and had lost confidence in the transparency of authorities.

He also referred to the unrest seen across parts of the country in 2024, warning that suppressing key information risks further erosion of public trust. “I strongly believe that the only risk to public order from this case in Warwickshire comes from the cover-up itself,” he stated.

In response, Warwickshire Police issued a statement saying it would not comment on the ethnicity or immigration status of the accused, citing national guidance on information release once a suspect is formally charged. Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe added that all decisions must comply with legal and procedural standards, and declined to speculate on individual circumstances while proceedings are ongoing.

The Home Office, in a separate statement, affirmed its position on criminal activity by non-UK nationals: “Foreign nationals who commit crimes should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and justice delivered.”

The case remains under judicial consideration, with Warwickshire County Council yet to issue a formal response to the claims made by Councillor Finch.