Key Points
- Video Showing Shocking Behavior: The Avon and Somerset Police published footage showing how three men—Mehrab Safi, Salman Habibkheil, and Awal Ahmadzai—were laughing at and taunting the camera while hiding in the back of the truck and attempting to escape from the UK into France.
- Details of the Crime: In November 2025, these men, along with a 17-year-old boy, sexually assaulted, groomed, intoxicated with alcohol, and raped a vulnerable teenage girl in a house in St Werburghs, Bristol.
- Sentence: At Bristol Crown Court on October 6, 2026, these four criminals got a total jail sentence of 36 years each.
- Capture of Fugitives: Upon escaping to France, the adult criminals were tracked down by French police in Calais and sent back to the UK.
- Statements from the Victim and Police Officers: The victim gave her statement about how anxious she was and how her dream of working with children has been on pause. DCI Matt Cable commended her courage.
Bristol (Bristol Express News) October 8, 2026 — As reported by journalists Filipa Gaspar, SWNS, and Maxine Denton of Bristol Live, a horrifying video has emerged showing three men laughing and waving their middle fingers at a camera while attempting to flee Britain in the back of a lorry. The footage, released by Avon and Somerset Police, captures Mehrab Safi, 21, Salman Habibkheil, 19, and Awal Ahmadzai, 19, trying to escape to France just days after they groomed and raped a teenage girl in Bristol in November 2025.
According to reporting by Bristol Live, the victim initially met Safi, of St Werburghs, on November 25, 2025, while visiting the city to go Christmas shopping with a friend. Although the friend declined Safi’s initial invitation to his home, Safi continued messaging the victim via Snapchat and requested indecent images. Less than a week later, Safi and Habibkheil, of Lockleaze, arranged for the victim to be brought into Bristol by taxi.
As detailed by Bristol Live, she was taken to Safi’s house and given alcohol. The pair, alongside Ahmadzai, of no fixed address, and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons—all of whom are Afghan nationals—then raped and sexually assaulted the victim over a period of several hours. Officers ultimately found the victim at the St Werburghs property after her mother reported her missing. While the teenage boy was arrested at the scene, the three older defendants fled to France. They were subsequently discovered by French authorities in Calais and brought back to the UK.
Police investigations revealed that the mobile phones belonging to Habibkheil and Ahmadzai had been used to search for news of the incident online and to research court procedures regarding serious sexual offences.
What Were the Individual Charges and Court Sentences?
As covered by Bristol Live, the three adult men denied the offences but were convicted following a trial earlier in the year. They appeared alongside the 17-year-old co-defendant at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, where Judge Cullum sentenced them to a combined 36 years behind bars.
- Mehrab Safi: Sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of two counts of rape and one count of arranging or facilitating the travel of a female with a view to exploitation.
- Salman Habibkheil: Sentenced to nine years’ detention after being convicted of one count of rape and one count of arranging or facilitating the travel of a female with a view to exploitation.
- Awal Ahmadzai: Sentenced to nine years’ detention after being found guilty of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault.
- The 17-year-old boy: Sentenced to three years’ detention after being convicted of one count of rape.
Addressing the defendants during the sentencing hearing, Judge Cullum stated, as reported by Bristol Live, that they had left the victim “broken beyond resistance.” Judge Cullum remarked, as noted by Bristol Live, “The victim was obviously vulnerable, and that’s why you all preyed on her… You were getting her drunk to increase her vulnerability and to increase the prospect that she could not resist.”
How Has the Case Affected the Victim and Her Family?
During the sentencing hearing, statements from both the victim and her mother were read to the court, detailing the profound and lasting trauma inflicted by the attacks.
As reported by Bristol Live, the victim stated:
“When I think back to who I was a year ago, I can say that I am a different person to who I was before this all happened. I had a lot more friends, I would go out a lot more, I was happier – now I stopped going out, I don’t even leave the house in general.”
She added, as quoted by Bristol Live,
“My dream was to go to college, I wanted to work in a nursery with children, but because my anxiety now is so bad, I had to put a hold on to that dream.”
However, she expressed relief that the perpetrators would not get away with their actions.
In a separate impact statement provided to Bristol Live, the victim’s mother shared:
“As a mum it was really hard for me to hear what had happened to my daughter and it is hard to think that my baby has gone through something so horrific… It is really hard for me to see how it has affected her and how she has withdrawn from the world around her.”
What Did Authorities and Prosecutors Say About the Investigation?
Law enforcement and prosecution officials emphasized the predatory nature of the crimes and praised the young victim’s courage throughout the legal process.
As reported by Bristol Live, Detective Chief Inspector Matt Cable, the senior investigating officer, stated: “It’s impossible to understate how significant these offences were. They took advantage of a vulnerable young girl, purely to fulfil their own sexual gratifications. At no point did they give a second thought to the victim’s welfare and the trauma associated with that night will be with her forever. Her bravery in standing up in court and telling her story is awe-inspiring.”
Echoing these remarks, Georgina Broom of the Crown Prosecution Service stated, via Bristol Live:
“The young victim in this case was targeted, groomed, and then lured to an unfamiliar city, miles from home in the dead of night. Isolated and alone, she was plied with alcohol and then raped and abused over four different people. It was clear throughout that she did not consent. Thankfully the three men who fled in such a cowardly manner were swiftly returned to the UK to face justice.”
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Background of the Particular Development
This case forms part of ongoing efforts by Avon and Somerset Police and the Crown Prosecution Service to tackle serious sexual violence, human trafficking, and cross-border flight attempts. The incident highlights the mechanisms used by perpetrators to groom victims via digital platforms like Snapchat, isolate them geographically, and exploit vulnerabilities through alcohol. Furthermore, the quick apprehension of the suspects following their escape to France underscores international law enforcement cooperation, specifically involving French authorities in Calais, which ensured the defendants were returned to British jurisdiction to stand trial at Bristol Crown Court.
How This Development Can Affect the Local Community and Legal Landscape
This high-profile sentencing and the public release of the escape footage are expected to significantly influence public awareness surrounding online grooming, local safety, and cross-border law enforcement tracking. For the community of Bristol, particularly parents and youth advocates, the case reinforces urgent concerns regarding digital safety and the risks posed by predatory individuals utilizing social media applications to target minors. Locally, it may prompt increased vigilance from community groups and educational institutions regarding online grooming tactics.
From a legal and judicial standpoint, the severe combined sentence of 36 years—alongside successful international extradition from Calais—sends a strong deterrent message regarding attempts to flee the jurisdiction after committing serious sexual offences. It may also encourage other survivors of sexual assault and abuse to come forward, bolstered by visible cooperation between police forces, registered intermediaries, and the Crown Prosecution Service.
