Mehrab Safi

Mehrab Safi, a 21-year-old Afghan national residing in St Werburghs, Bristol, has been found guilty of serious criminal offenses in the UK. He was a central figure in a case involving the rape and sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl in November of last year.

Key Facts and Legal Proceedings:

• Charges: Mehrab Safi was charged with two counts of rape and one count of human trafficking (also described as arranging or facilitating the travel of a female with a view to exploitation).
• Alleged Offenses: The prosecution stated that Safi groomed the victim via Snapchat after meeting her in Bristol in November last year. He then arranged for a taxi to bring her from Somerset to his home in Bristol in the early hours of November 30. There, she was allegedly given cigarettes and vodka before being raped by Safi and then by his co-defendants over several hours.
• Co-defendants: Safi was tried alongside Awal Ahmadzai (19), Salman Habibkheil (19), and a 16-year-old boy (who cannot be named for legal reasons). All four were Afghan nationals.
• Court Appearances and Trial: The trial took place at Bristol Crown Court. During the proceedings, Safi denied the charges, claiming the sexual activity was consensual and that there was a "misunderstanding". He gave evidence through a Pashto interpreter.
• Attempt to Flee: Following the alleged offenses, Safi, along with Habibkheil and Ahmadzai, attempted to flee the UK on December 3 last year by concealing themselves in the back of a lorry to travel to France. They were discovered by French authorities in Calais and subsequently returned to the UK and arrested. Mobile phone footage recovered from Safi's phone reportedly showed the men laughing and celebrating their escape attempt.
• Verdict: On June 26, 2026, a jury at Bristol Crown Court found Mehrab Safi and his co-defendants guilty of the charges against them after two days of deliberations.
• Sentencing: Sentencing for Mehrab Safi and the other convicted individuals is reportedly scheduled for October 6, 2026.