A gang of Afghan asylum seekers accused of raping two teenage girls are set to face trial next year.
asserted
gang → accuse → trial
Norfolk Police said the seven men – all small boat and lorry migrants – were charged as part of an investigation into group-based, child sexual exploitation in the city.
asserted
men → say → city
The defendants, who are accused of sexual offences committed between August 2023 and May 2025, pleaded not guilty to all 38 counts during a hearing at Norwich Crown Court on Friday and were remanded in custody.
uncertain
who → accuse → custody
The charges relate to two victims, who were aged in their early to mid-teens at the time of the alleged offences, police previously said.
asserted
police → relate → offences
The 12-week trial had been due to begin at Norwich Crown Court on January 11, 2027, but will now take place at Southwark Crown Court next May at the earliest.
uncertain
trial → begin → earliest
Judge David Tomlinson said the earliest proposed start date was Tuesday, May 4, although no trial date or judge had yet been confirmed.
The case had originally been kept in Norwich despite concerns about whether the court could accommodate the number of defendants, all of whom are in custody.
uncertain
all → say → custody
The final suspect to be arrested, Shinwari, 20, entered the UK on a small boat in November 2022.
asserted
suspect → arrest → November
Seven Afghan nationals were charged in May after an investigation into child sexual exploitation in Norwich
Police carried out a major operation in which they raided six addresses in Norwich, and one in Dumbarton, and arrested the men
The seven Afghans had been granted asylum in the UK, according to Norfolk Police
The seven Afghans had been granted asylum in the UK, according to Norfolk Police.
uncertain
Afghans → charge → Police
Ahmadzai, 20, of Pottergate, Norwich, denies nine counts of rape, two counts of conspiracy to rape, one count of facilitating human trafficking and one count of perverting the course of justice.
asserted
Ahmadzai → deny → justice
Khalili, 20, of High Street, Dumbarton, denies seven charges of rape, one count of conspiracy to rape and one count of facilitating human trafficking.
asserted
Khalili → deny → trafficking
Auryakhel, 20, of Eleanor Road, Norwich, denies one count of rape.
asserted
Auryakhel → deny → rape
Kaker, 20, of Black Horse Opening, Norwich, denies four counts of rape, one count of conspiracy to rape and one count of facilitating human trafficking.
asserted
Kaker → deny → trafficking
Mohammed Shinwary, 20, of St Benedicts Street, Norwich, denies two counts of rape.
asserted
Shinwary → deny → rape
Ahamad, 21, of Pelham Road, Norwich, denies one count of rape and three counts of facilitating human trafficking.
asserted
Ahamad → deny → trafficking
Davodzai, 20, denies four counts of rape and one count of conspiracy to rape.
asserted
Davodzai → deny → conspiracy
Bilal Shinwari denies four charges, including two counts of rape of a girl under 16, one count of conspiring to rape a girl under 16 and one of conspiring to rape a woman aged 16 or over.
asserted
Shinwari → deny → woman
The alleged offences took place between August 2023 and May 2025.
uncertain
offences → allege → August
Police previously said five of the men had entered the country via small boat, one concealed in a lorry and the seventh attempted to enter the UK clandestinely via Portsmouth ferry port.
asserted
seventh → say → port
Irish police, An Garda Síochána, have arrested an eighth suspect in Ireland and legal processes are underway to seek the 19-year-old man's return to the UK.
asserted
processes → arrest → UK
Norfolk Police said none of the charged men have lived at asylum hotels in Norfolk and none of the alleged offending happened in asylum hotels.
asserted
none → say → hotels
Detective Superintendent Stacey Murray previously said: 'At the heart of our investigation and at the forefront of our minds are the victims.
asserted
victims → say → minds
I want to reassure everyone that we are being meticulous in our approach to this investigation.
asserted
we → want → investigation
'A dedicated team continues to work solely on this to examine every available line of inquiry and gather evidence, while respecting the traumatic experiences of the victims.
asserted
team → continue → victims
'We know from our work with the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) that victims may choose if, when, or whether to come forward.
uncertain
victims → know → Childhood
'The investigation and justice process can feel overwhelming, and risk may still be present.
uncertain
risk → feel → ?
What matters is that, when they are ready, victims know they will be listened to, believed and supported.'
asserted
they → matter → ?
The Aporia
