Sultani Bakatash

Sultani Bakatash, a 29-year-old Afghan national, has been involved in significant legal proceedings in the UK, culminating in his conviction for the rape and sexual assault of two 14-year-old girls. He arrived in the UK in 2022 seeking asylum and was granted indefinite leave to remain.

Key Facts and Dates:

• December 6, 2025: Bakatash groomed a 14-year-old girl online via Snapchat, then invited her and a friend to his flat in Georgina Court, Bolton. There, he plied both girls with alcohol before raping them while they were unconscious.
• December 7, 2025: Greater Manchester Police received a report of the rape. Bakatash fled the property but was arrested two days later.
• December 9, 2025: Bakatash, then 28, was charged with two counts of rape of a girl aged under 16, one count of sexual assault, and one count of assault by penetration. He was scheduled to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court.
• June 2026: Bakatash was on trial at Bolton Crown Court. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. During the trial, he claimed he had served in the British military for seven years and fled Afghanistan due to the Taliban. He also offered a defense that "Satan took over him" after he drank alcohol, and claimed he felt "uncontrollably sleepy" on the day of the incidents.
• July 3, 2026: Following a four-week trial, a jury at Bolton Crown Court found Bakatash guilty of two counts of rape, one count of sexual assault, and two counts of assault by penetration.
• September 9, 2026: Bakatash is scheduled to be sentenced.

The prosecution stated that Bakatash "seized the opportunity to rape and abuse" the girls when they were intoxicated and drifting in and out of consciousness. Chief Superintendent Helen Critchley of Greater Manchester Police commended the bravery of the survivors, noting their strength was instrumental in securing the conviction.